A gesture of camaraderie and holiday spirit has turned into a fight for survival for a young West Virginia National Guard member. While millions of Americans spent the holiday with their families on Thursday, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom lay in a hospital bed, critically wounded after a calculated ambush near the White House. She had specifically requested the holiday shift, a selfless decision intended to allow her fellow squad members the chance to spend Thanksgiving with their loved ones.
The tragic irony of her kindness was highlighted by authorities on Thursday. Instead of a quiet shift protecting the capital, Beckstrom and another guard member were targeted in what officials are investigating as a potential terrorist attack. The 20-year-old sustained gunshot wounds to the head and chest during the assault, which occurred near the Farragut West Metro Station in Northwest DC.
