U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a stark warning Thursday following the death of a West Virginia National Guard member ambushed near the White House, declaring that “the death penalty is back” as she promised justice for the fallen soldier.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died Thursday from injuries sustained in the shooting earlier this week. In a statement reacting to the news, Bondi took to X.
“Devastated. Please pray for Sarah’s family. America will never forget her courage,” Bondi stated. “There WILL BE JUSTICE for Sarah. Continue to pray for Andrew. Thank you to President Trump — the death penalty is back.”
Bondi’s comments followed a somber announcement from President Donald Trump, who broke the news of Beckstrom’s passing during a traditional Thanksgiving call with U.S. troops.
READ: ‘Less Than 24 Hours’: Guardsmen Shot In D.C. Metro Were Deputized Just Before Ambush
“She’s just passed away,” Trump said on the call. “She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her.”
The President described Beckstrom as an “incredible person, outstanding in every single way.” He noted that the second victim, 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, is currently “fighting for his life.”
Trump condemned the gunman—identified as an Afghan national who had previously worked with a CIA-backed unit in his home country—as a “savage monster,” labeling the ambush a “terrorist attack.”
According to U.S. officials, the suspect immigrated to the United States in 2021. He reportedly drove from Washington state to the nation’s capital specifically to target the Guard members, who were deployed to assist with the administration’s mass deportation efforts.
READ: Ambush In DC: Trump Orders Troop Surge After National Guard Shooting
Trump used the tragedy to criticize the Biden administration’s vetting protocols for Afghan evacuees, stating, “This atrocity reminds us that we have no greater national security priority than ensuring that we have full control over the people that enter and remain in our country.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
