After Sarah Beckstrom, a member of the West Virginia National Guard, was shot dead while on duty close to Washington, D.C., her father posted a heartbreaking message on social media, calling her death a “horrible tragedy.”
Authorities say that on Wednesday, Beckstrom, 20, and fellow Guard member Andrew Wolfe, 24, were ambushed close to the Farragut Square Metro Station. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, has been identified as the accused shooter in relation to the incident. Beckstrom passed away from her wounds, while Wolfe is still in critical condition in the hospital.
Gary Beckstrom said, “My baby girl has passed to glory,” in a devastating message to friends and family. Please don’t take offense if I don’t speak to you; this has been a terrible tragedy. His remarks emphasized the family’s sorrow as well as the shock that peers and the larger military community were experiencing.
To find out what caused the incident, authorities have indicated that an investigation is still underway. As they grieve the loss of a young life dedicated to public service, Guard members, local authorities, and people have all offered condolences and demanded justice.