President Trump announced that he had awarded the family of Spec. Sarah Beckstrom and her colleague, Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe with the Purple Heart. The announcement prompted several minutes of bipartisan clapping as he honored Evalea and Gary Beckstrom, the mother and father of Beckstrom, 24, and Wolfe. The West Virginia Army National Guard member was fatally wounded Nov. 26 in an ambush that also critically wounded Wolfe, as they patrolled a subway station blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died Thanksgiving Day. The two were among the National Guard members deployed to Washington as part of Trump’s executive order last August to battle what he said was rampant crime.
Trump announced that he had awarded the family of Spec. Sarah Beckstrom and her colleague, Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe with the Purple Heart.
The announcement prompted several minutes of bipartisan clapping as he honored Evalea and Gary Beckstrom, the mother and father of Beckstrom, 24, and Wolfe.
The West Virginia Army National Guard member was fatally wounded Nov. 26 in an ambush that also critically wounded Wolfe, as they patrolled a subway station blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died Thanksgiving Day. The two were among the National Guard members deployed to Washington as part of Trump’s executive order last August to battle what he said was rampant crime.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was wounded in the attack, has been charged with an array of offenses in the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody. Authorities say he drove across country from his home in Washington state to execute the attack.