On Thanksgiving Day, I woke up to a notification from the New York Times that two West Virginia National Guard members had been shot amid their deployment in Washington D.C. Instead of ignoring the notification and eating a slice of pie, I read on. And that is what makes all the difference. 

On Aug. 11, 2025, President Donald Trump released a message declaring that crime is out of control in Washington D.C., disrupting the Federal Government’s ability to function and endangering civilians. He pledged to make “the District of Columbia one of the safest cities in the world, not the most dangerous.”  

On Aug. 16, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey deployed members of the West Virginia National Guard to Washington, D.C. to aid in Trump’s mission to protect the district from the violence noted in his declaration.

“As President, I have a solemn duty to take care that our laws are faithfully executed, and a sacred responsibility to protect the safety and security of United States citizens who live in and visit our Nation’s capital, including Federal workers who live or commute into the District of Columbia,” Trump wrote.

Yet, on Wednesday, Nov. 26, he completely failed at this duty. This failure is exactly what got West Virginia National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom murdered.

Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Sergeant Andrew Wofle were both shot near the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 26, while on patrol. The suspect is Rahmanhulla Lakanwal, a delivery driver who lives in Bellingham, Washington. Lakanwal immigrated from Afghanistan with his family in 2021.

On Thanksgiving Day, Beckstrom died from her injuries.  Wolfe remains in critical condition.  Wolfe’s family has declined to comment, only requesting prayers. 

The Abuse of West Virginians

In an article by the New York Times, Beckstrom was described as looking for a way out of West Virginia, deciding to enlist in the National Guard as a way to pay for college. Edith Tenney, a resident of Webster Springs, described the town as “stifling” for young people. Beckstrom is not the only one using this strategy as a way to make it out of the state. 

8% of the population of West Virginia is veterans, while the national average is only 6%. The state has the 37th-highest veteran population in the country despite being one of the least populated states. 

In the article, David Gillepsie, a former resident, cited joining the military as a great first step for many West Virginians towards a brighter future.

In 2024, one in six West Virginians relied on SNAP benefits. Three in ten West Virginians are enrolled in Medicaid. Both of these programs are under attack by the Trump administration. 

Donald Trump preaches a working-class message, yet continues to abuse the very people he campaigns to. Despite being severely underserved, West Virginians continue to serve a president who doesn’t care about them at all. 

Trump did not fire the gun. But he most definitely facilitated this tragedy. Trump, in light of the shooting, has used the act to generalize Afghans as violent perpetrators, allowing him to further his anti-immigrant agenda, “saying the U.S. ‘must now reexamine every single alien from Afghanistan who has entered our country under Biden and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country’”. 

 In all of his condolences, he fails to acknowledge why the West Virginia National Guard members were in D.C. in the first place: because he continues to use unnecessary military force to incite fear in citizens to push his policies, disguising it as a form of protection for American citizens. Yet while the American people are out in the streets, he is seated in his throne, hidden behind his secretary’s desk and a long line of spineless politicians, with Patrick Morrissey leading the head. 

The reality is that he does not care about us. And he certainly does not care about West Virginians. 70% of West Virginians voted for Donald Trump because he made empty promises. The state receives its fair share of backlash for this turnout. But West Virginia’s poverty rate is 16.7%, four points higher than the national average. So when Donald Trump says he’s going to “put the miners back to work,” can you blame them for how they cast their vote? He preys on desperation. 

I understand what Tenney means when she describes the town as stifling. Anyone can see the rundown buildings, lack of opportunity and empty land for miles. I drive past the exit for Sarah Beckstrom’s hometown every time I drive to my own, Wheeling, West Virginia. If your home is Pennsylvania or Ohio, we probably take the same route. Yet, I cannot count how many times I have interacted with Wake Forest students who do not even know that West Virginia is a state, which is precisely the problem.

Part of resistance is remembrance. When we forget about abuse against minority groups, we risk perpetuating the cycle of abuse against our most vulnerable.

The Importance of Remembrance

Donald Trump has once again acted as an instigator for pointless partisan conflict and unwarranted military use, which ultimately resulted in the death of a 20-year-old girl. I have witnessed too many deaths come and go as vehicles for protest over the years, just to be forgotten when the picket signs are laid to rest.

Sarah Beckstrom cannot just be another name. 

I want to remind you that this is not normal. It is not normal for the president to deploy troops all across the country for claims of violence that do not exist. It is not normal for a 20-year-old girl to lose her life in an attempt to find a better one. 

I know this has become routine. Waking up, reading something terrible in the news and moving on. I know the overwhelming state of the country makes it really hard to stay angry. It is so much easier to become comfortable with the uncomfortable.

As hard as it is, stay informed. Remember the stories and the names of those who have died. Because it is real and it is happening right now. Wake Forest can feel like a bubble sometimes, but right outside our neighbors are hurting.