Trump: Soldier Sarah Beckstrom dead in DC terror attack
US National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, wounded in the shooting attack near the White House in Washington, has died at the hospital.
The announcement was made by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, November 27, during an address to service members. The information is cited by AFP and DW news agencies.
US National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, wounded in the shooting attack near the White House in Washington, has died at the hospital. The announcement was made by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, November 27, during an address to service members. The information is cited by AFP and DW news agencies.
According to Trump, Beckstrom, 20, a native of West Virginia, had joined the National Guard in June 2023. The President described her as "a highly respected and remarkable person."
The second service member wounded in the attack, 24-year-old Andrew Woolf, is "fighting for his life" and remains "in very serious condition," Trump specified. No further details were provided regarding the attacker, who was seriously wounded in the defensive fire.
Attacker Came to US from Afghanistan
The shooting occurred on the afternoon of October 26, local time, in Farragut Square, near the White House. US media reported that a man opened fire without warning on the service members who were on duty.
US officials later identified the attacker as 29-year-old Rahmanullah L., who entered the US in 2021, arriving from Afghanistan, where he had previously collaborated with US special services. This qualified him to relocate to the United States following the US troop withdrawal and the takeover by the "Taliban" movement. According to CNN, he filed for asylum in 2024, and it was approved in early 2025.
Commenting on the incident, President Trump characterized the attack as an "act of terrorism" and a "crime against the entire country." For his part, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that it is too early to establish the attacker's motivation, but the case is being investigated "as an act of terrorism."
In his speech, Trump also announced that all foreign nationals who came from Afghanistan during the Biden administration would be subjected to new vetting. The US President stated that authorities would take "all necessary measures" to expel "any foreigner who has no place here."
At the same time, US media notes that Rahmanullah L.'s asylum application was approved under the Trump administration, following its return to power. Before the attack, the man had no prior police record for law violations.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
