(LOOTPRESS) – President Donald Trump has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff to honor Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, the West Virginia National Guard member who was shot and killed in Washington, D.C.
The proclamation, issued Thursday, reads:
“As a mark of respect for the memory of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, West Virginia Army National Guard, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, December 4, 2025. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
As stated in the proclamation, flags will remain at half-staff until sunset.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey expressed his gratitude for the gesture.
“I want to thank him for this heartfelt gesture. It means a great deal to Sarah’s family, to the West Virginia National Guard community, and to so many across our state who are grieving her loss,”Morrisey said in a statement.
“Sarah was only 20 years old, but she lived with a courage and a sense of service well beyond her years. Everyone who knew her spoke of her warmth, her smile, and her determination to help others. We will honor her life and her sacrifice for years to come.”
Beckstrom, 20, was shot and killed on November 26 in what federal officials described as a “targeted” attack just blocks from the White House.
She was out with fellow Guardsman Andrew Wolfe near the Farragut West Metro Station when the accused gunman, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, opened fire.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were rushed to a hospital for treatment. Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving Day, while Wolfe remains in critical condition.
A native of Summersville, West Virginia, Beckstrom had served in the Guard since June 2023.
She volunteered for the Trump administration’s D.C. National Guard deployment and was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, 111th Engineer Brigade at the time of the shooting.
