20-yr-old female WV Guardsman has died

[AverageOldGuy]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Washington Post

One of the two National Guard members shot Wednesday near the White House complex has died, President Donald Trump said Thursday.

The victim, Spec. Sarah Beckstrom, was a 20-year-old from West Virginia. The second critically wounded National Guard member, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, is still fighting for his life, Trump said.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/11/27/dc-shooting-national-guard-suspect-live-updates/

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Let's pause for a few days to honor two young people -- one dead, one still fighting for his life. Having spent a lot of time in WV, I suspect both these young people joined the Guard to supplement their incomes because they needed the money. I don't doubt they both were/are exemplary young soldiers. I served 28 years in the Army. In a place called Vietnam, I put young people just like these in body bags.

So let's pause for a few days to honor them, to pray for their families.

Then -- let's unload on the man who bears full responsibility for their death and wounds (and they were NOT killed by an Afghan refugee, he just pulled the trigger).

[Blues Heron]

1. Trump has blood on his hands for this

[underpants]

3. I see a full force RW effort on X and Facebook

All the Clustertrump are making statements trying to make this completely Biden’s fault “blood on his hands”

What’s good to see is that there’s lots of backlash especially on normally mundane local news pages. Even on X there’s backlash stating facts and connecting this to Trump from the beginning ….to the end.

[Deuxcents]

2. 💐

[Frasier Balzov]

4. Trump baited his terrorist trap with two young soldiers.

They were expendable suckers and losers according to their CIC.

Now send in five hundred more guardsmen to see who surfaces from within the populous carrying a loaded firearm which they were able to obtain thanks to Trump.

Ask him how this happened, and don't let him get away with blaming Biden.

[underpants]

5. WV yeah

Ive said this for years. It’s not just one weekend a month, it can be RIGHT NOW. Most of that is active guard but not all of it.

My mom’s family is from WV so I’ve spent a lot of time there. Will be there for a big family Christmas party in December.
I had a relative who recruited for the WV Guard. This was over a decade ago. He said he could go into some WV small towns and find 3-5 people he could recruit due to testing and records. That’s of everyone in the town not just recruiting age.

Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of Webster Springs, West Virginia

SSgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, of Martinsburg, West Virginia

[nitpicked]

6. Brief link at WUSA TV 9

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/president-trump-announces-death-national-guard-member-sarah-beckstrom/65-f7490f9a-b43b-4cd9-b643-1b711ae8b685

[FakeNoose]

7. Oh no!

[2naSalit]

8. ...

[SSJVegeta]

9. I'm honestly waiting for a more reliable source than Trump to confirm this

[BeyondGeography]

10. Tragic and nauseating

Tough guy posturing by Commander Bone Spurs leads to a pointless waste of life.

[mahina]

11. So very sorry

For her loss!

Sending hope for healing and comfort for her family. What a terrible tragedy.

[Skittles]

12. horrible

so, SO senseless

[Omaha Steve]

13. AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING

DUPE of https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143573081

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