United States Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of the West Virginia National Guard, lost her life on Thanksgiving after an ambush-style shooting in Washington, DC.
Her fellow National Guard member, US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition following surgery.
President Donald Trump spoke about Beckstrom during a Thanksgiving call to service members. “She’s just passed away,” he said. “She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now.”
Wolfe’s father, Jason Wolfe, asked for prayers for his son, describing him as “a great person” and “he’s a fighter.”
Both Beckstrom and Wolfe were among thousands of National Guard members who responded to the nation’s capital in August as part of federal law enforcement operations.
Beckstrom, of Summersville, West Virginia, had volunteered to work over the holiday so others could spend Thanksgiving at home. Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted her selflessness, “She volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families, yet now their families are in hospital rooms with them while they are fighting for their lives.”
Beckstrom began her service on June 26, 2023, and was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia Army National Guard.
Webster County High School, where she graduated in 2023, said she had “always demonstrated the strength, character, and commitment that make our school and community proud.”
Her father, Gary Beckstrom, was by her side on Thanksgiving. “I’m holding her hand right now,” he told The New York Times.
Adam Carr, who dated Beckstrom for six years, remembered her as “a loving, caring person who had a huge heart.” He recalled, “She’d wake up in the mornings with me when I was going to work. She’d make me lunch before I left, because I never really wanted to and didn’t care, but she did. She’d be waiting for me whenever I came home, she’d be all excited waiting at the door to give me a hug when I walked in.”
Carr said Beckstrom had hoped to join the FBI and saw the National Guard as a pathway toward that goal. “I loved her to pieces,” he said. “She never deserved any of that. I always wished the best for her.”
A vigil was held in Webster Springs, West Virginia, where one woman recalled meeting Beckstrom in a nursing class. “I mean, I did not know a single soul here or anywhere that was as nice as she was or as caring,” she said. “She really just made everybody happier.”
Local and federal law enforcement lined Washington, DC streets Thursday night for a dignified transfer honoring Beckstrom’s service.
Wolfe, 24, is described by neighbors as generous and kind. Michael Langone, who lives next door to Wolfe in Martinsburg, West Virginia, called him “a great guy, great neighbor,” adding, “I just hope his family’s doing okay with it. They’ve always been good to us, and we’ve always looked out for each other, and that’s about being a good neighbor.”
Wolfe has served in the West Virginia National Guard since February 5, 2019, and is assigned to the Force Support Squadron, 167th Airlift Wing. His hometown neighbors and former classmates expressed shock at the shooting.
“It spread so quickly,” said Tara Newcomb, a former schoolmate. “A lot of people liked him and knew him. I hope he’s doing okay.”
Tina Gesford, another neighbor, described Wolfe as a “sweet kid” and “hard worker.” She added, “It scares people. DC is crazy right now. So it’s scary thinking that one of our people are down there getting hurt.”
