U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, one of the two National Guard soldiers shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, has died.
President Trump first made the announcement on Thursday night, describing Beckstrom, 20, as a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” who was “savagely attacked.”
“She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her. It’s just happened,” Trump said, while speaking virtually to service members for Thanksgiving.
Her death was later confirmed by the District of Columbia National Guard Public Affairs Office in a statement.
Beckstrom was one of approximately 2,200 National Guard troops deployed to the nation’s capital as part of the administration’s effort to crack down on crime in the District.
“On behalf of Governor Patrick Morrisey and the entire West Virginia National Guard, I extend my deepest condolences to Spc. Beckstrom’s family, friends, and fellow Guardsmen. We grieve alongside them and honor her memory by carrying forward her commitment to service, integrity, and excellence,” Maj. Gen. Jim Seward, the Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard, said in a statement to The Hill.
A federal judge moved to block the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the District last week. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb has put her ruling on hold until Dec. 11, and the administration has appealed.
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On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Trump asked him to send additional troops D.C. after the shooting.
Authorities have identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, as the suspected shooter. Lakanwal was wounded on Wednesday and taken into custody.
The White House has condemned the shooting and blamed the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal to enter the United States under “Operation Allies Welcome,” a program designed to help vulnerable Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal from the country.
He was granted asylum earlier this year by the Trump administration, according to Reuters.
On Thursday, the president urged people across the country to pray for the second shooting victim, National Guard member Andrew Wolfe.
