National Guard Member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, Dies of Wounds From Washington Shooting
On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025, Sarah Beckstrom, a member of the West Virginia Army National Guard who was shot while serving in Washington, D.C., died of her wounds. The West Virginia National Guard confirmed that she was pronounced dead that day at MedStar Washington Hospital in the District of Columbia, as a result of wounds incurred during the previous day's shooting. She was 20 years old.
President Donald J. Trump announced her death that evening during a Thanksgiving call with service members. He said Beckstrom, of West Virginia, who had started service in June 2023, was highly respected, young and magnificent, outstanding in every way, adding: "She's just passed away. She's no longer with us." The White House said Trump spoke with Beckstrom's parents that evening. Trump said the second wounded guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, was still "fighting for his life."
Beckstrom was from Summersville, West Virginia. She graduated with honors from Webster County High School in 2023 and joined the National Guard several weeks later, on June 26, 2023, serving as a military police officer with the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade. The West Virginia National Guard said she exemplified leadership, dedication and professionalism, and that she had volunteered to serve as part of Operation D.C. Safe and Beautiful, helping to ensure the safety and security of the nation's capital, where she had served with her unit since August.
Col. Larry Doane, commander of Joint Task Force District of Columbia, said in a statement: "This is a devastating loss to our National Guard family. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom came to the District from West Virginia to make our nation's capital safe and beautiful. She is a hero and we mourn her passing." U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that Beckstrom was a hero who had volunteered to serve in Washington on Thanksgiving for people she never met.
Source: West Virginia National Guard
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国战争部总部五角大楼航拍（资料照片）。美国海军摄，公共领域，经Wikimedia Commons；联邦固定图库同源图。 / Photo: An aerial view of the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of War (file photo). U.S. Navy photo, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; federal fixed image library image.
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