West Virginia Guard Specialist Beckstrom Laid to Rest

GRAFTON, W.Va. — Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 19-year-old West Virginia National Guard member fatally shot while on duty in Washington, D.C., last month, was laid to rest Tuesday in a private ceremony with full military honors at the West Virginia National Cemetery here.

Beckstrom, who served in the 863rd Military Police Company, died on November 27 following an ambush at a subway station three blocks from the White House. She and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe were patrolling the area when the attack occurred the previous day. Authorities charged 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who was also wounded in the confrontation, with murder. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Governor Patrick Morrisey described the funeral as deeply moving in a statement released after the service. "The ceremony reflected the strength, grace, and love of a remarkable young woman and the family and friends who surrounded her," Morrisey said.

Beckstrom had recently embarked on her military career. She graduated with honors from Webster County High School in 2023 and enlisted in the National Guard just weeks later, marking the beginning of her service as a military police...