Slain Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom volunteered to work Thanksgiving shift so squadmates could be home

WASHINGTON, DC: A selfless gesture meant to give her fellow soldiers a chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families turned into a tragedy for 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who has now died after a violent ambush near the White House. The attack unfolded on Wednesday, September 17, just one day before Thanksgiving, and investigators are now probing the shooting as a possible terrorist strike.

Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed the heartbreaking detail that Beckstrom had volunteered for the Thanksgiving shift, ensuring that others in her squad could be home with their loved ones. “She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving, working today - she volunteers, as did many of those guardsmen and women so other people could be home with their families,” Bondi said on Fox News.

Sarah Beckstrom's selfless choice placed her in the line of fire

Sarah Beckstrom, a young West Virginia National Guard member who had been deployed to Washington as part of federal public safety operations, was stationed near the Farragut West Metro Station when the attack occurred. Officials say she sustained devastating gunshot wounds to the head and chest in what investigators describe as a “calculated ambush.”

A second National Guard member, identified as 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, was also critically wounded and remains in the hospital undergoing treatment.

Authorities confirmed that Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, just hours after undergoing emergency surgery.

Suspect identified as Afghan refugee Rahmanullah Lakanwal

The alleged gunman, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan refugee who arrived in the US under "Operation Allies Welcome," reportedly lay in wait before opening fire on the two guardsmen “without provocation.”

According to officials, Lakanwal was armed with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver and allegedly carried out the ambush in a manner that suggests advance planning. He was shot by other guard members who returned fire and subdued him at the scene.

The suspect remains under guard at a hospital and faces multiple federal charges.

Investigators moving at ‘lightspeed’ as motive remains unclear

While authorities have not yet confirmed a motive, the attack’s brazenness has rattled DC, with Pam Bondi stating that law enforcement teams are moving at “lightspeed” to uncover whether Rahmanullah Lakanwal acted alone or as part of a coordinated plot.

Officials also said the attack is being treated as a potential act of terrorism given its proximity to federal buildings and the deliberate nature of the assault.

Nation mourns Sarah Beckstrom

President Donald Trump announced Sarah Beckstrom’s death while on a Thanksgiving call with military service members. "She's just passed away. She's no longer with us," he said, hailing the 20-year-old as a "highly respected, young, magnificent person."

Beckstrom's selfless act of volunteering to work on Thanksgiving Eve has struck a chord across the nation.

Paying tribute on X (formerly Twitter), US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro wrote, "Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom of the National Guard — a hero who volunteered to serve DC on Thanksgiving for people she never met and gave the ultimate sacrifice. May she rest in peace. It is now time to avenge her death and secure justice."

Veteran actor James Woods wrote, "A hero has been taken from us. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom personified everything one could pray for in a daughter, a soldier, and an American citizen. She offered to give her fellow Guardsmen relief to enjoy Thanksgiving. Her generosity cost her life. Heartbreaking. RIP."

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