National Guard Shooting Reactions. AI Goes to Washington.

This holiday weekend opened with heartbreaking news. Two members of the National Guard were shot near the White House the day before Thanksgiving, and we now have confirmation that Specialist Sarah Beckstrom has died from her injuries. She was twenty years old. Andrew Wolf, the second Guardsman, remains hospitalized in critical condition. These troops were part of roughly 2,200 Guard members deployed to Washington, D.C., under the administration’s broader crime-suppression mandate.

The shooter entered the United States during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan under the Operation Allies Welcome program. Reporting paints a picture of a family in deep instability: five children sleeping on couch cushions, minimal furniture, little English spoken. Neighbors say he spent most of his time playing Call of Duty and FIFA, rarely interacting with anyone. According to authorities, he drove across the country, walked up to two Guardsmen on patrol, and opened fire before a third Guardsman shot him. Hours later, federal agents raided his Washington State apartment.