Donald Trump said Sunday that he invited the family of a National Guard member fatally wounded last week to the White House, adding that he had spoken with her parents and they were “devastated.”
20-year-old US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died in the fire. shooting on Wednesday in Washington. Her fellow soldier, 24-year-old U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Vigils were held throughout West Virginia in their memory.
The president said he discussed the visit to the White House by the parents of both party members. West Virginia national guard.
“I said, 'When you're ready, because this is a difficult thing, come to the White House. We will honor Sarah's memory,” Trump told reporters. “And the same with Andrew, whether you get well or not.”
Mourners gathered at Webster County High School in West Virginia over the weekend to remember Beckstrom. Both she and Wolf served in the West Virginia National Guard as part of Trump's federal initiative to support police efforts in Washington.
“Sarah was the student teachers hoped for. She carried herself with a calm strength, an infectious smile and a positive energy that lifted the people around her,” Jarrod Hankins, principal of Beckstrom's former high school, told The Associated Press. “She was sweet, caring and always willing to help others.”
Details of Bäckström's funeral are still being finalized.
Authorities have charged the 29-year-old Afghan national with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill with a weapon. The incident led to Trump administration To suspend asylum procedures and temporarily stop issuing visas to Afghan passport holders.
Wolfe, a Martinsburg native, began his service in February 2019 and graduated from Musselman High School in 2019, according to the AP. He continues to receive treatment and is “fighting for his life.” West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey said this on Fox News Channel's The Sunday Briefing.
Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News on Sunday that she also intends to meet with Wolf's family.
Beckstrom, of Summersville, graduated from Webster County High School in June 2023 and shortly thereafter enlisted in the military, where he served with distinction as a military police officer, according to the West Virginia National Guard.
“She had a lot of kindness and definitely courage,” Morrisey told those gathered at the vigil. “Although her life was too short, she left a mark that will last forever.”
