In a tragic incident that has now ignited national security concerns, Sarah Beckstrom, who was a 20 year old member of the national guard, was fatally shot on Wednesday in Washington D.C. The news, confirmed by President Trump during a Thanksgiving call with service members, casts a shadow over the holiday and raises questions about the safety of troops deployed in the capital. BBC News reported that Trump stated “Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia…. Highly respected, young magnificent person… she just passed away. She’s no longer with us.” highlighting the loss.
The shooting, which also left 24 year old Andrew Wolfe in critical condition, occurred near Farragut square in downtown D.C. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29 year old from Afghanistan, has been arrested in connection with the attack. In an article from ABC News, it is reported that Beckstrom was killed and Wolfe was critically injured. BBC News reports in their article that the U.S. attorney for Washington D.C announced that initial assault charges will be upgraded to murder in the first degree, this shows the severity of the crime . Jeanine Pirro, speaking on Fox and Friends, described the incident as “an ambush with a gun toward people who didn’t know what was coming” This emphasizes this attack was premeditated.
Further investigation by FBI Director Kash Patel revealed that the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had a history of working alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan. According to BBC News, FBI director Kash Patel confirmed at a press conference Lakanwa’s connection to the U.S. forces, stating, “the suspect had a relationship in Afghanistan with partner forces before moving to te U.S”
