Both soldiers had been deployed in Washington since August as part of Trump’s expanded federal operations, which included oversight of local police activity and mass Guard deployments across the city.
The West Virginia National Guard confirmed their service histories:
- Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, from Webster Springs, WV, enlisted in June 2023
- SSG Andrew Wolfe, 24, from Martinsburg, WV, enlisted in February 2019
Massive Federal & Military Response in the Capital
In the hours after the shooting, a flurry of emergency vehicles filled the streets. Helicopters were spotted landing on the National Mall, and teams from the Secret Service and ATF moved swiftly across the scene.
Trump subsequently ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to the capital, joining thousands already deployed in connection with ongoing immigration and crime crackdowns targeting major Democratic-led cities.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area as federal agencies continue investigating.
For ongoing updates, readers can follow:
- Washington, D.C., Shooting: National Guard Troops Hit Near White House
- What we do and don’t know about the shooting of 2 National Guard members in D.C. | PBS News
- National Guard DC shooting: Sarah Beckstrom dies after violent attack
