West Virginia high school remembers slain National Guard member as caring and willing to help

Mourners gathered at a West Virginia high school this weekend remembered a National Guard member fatally shot last week as a caring and positive person who yearned to help others U S Army Spc Sarah Beckstrom died after a Wednesday shooting in Washington D C while her seriously injured colleague U S Air Force Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe remained in critical condition In up-to-date days local vigils in West Virginia have honored the soldiers including one Saturday evening at Webster County High School where Beckstrom attended classes Sarah was the kind of trainee that teachers hoped for she carried herself with quiet strength a contagious smile and a positive vigor that lifted people around her declared Jarrod Hankins the school s principal She was sweet caring and perpetually willing to help others Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed with the West Virginia National Guard as part of President Donald Trump s aggressive crime-fighting plan that federalized the D C police force A -year-old Afghan national faces one count of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed in the shooting which prompted the Trump administration to halt all asylum decisions and pause issuing visas for people traveling on Afghan passports Funeral arrangements had not been finalized for Beckstrom according to Cathy Pettry the owner of Dodd Reed Funeral Home in Webster Springs Pettry commented Saturday that the home has been in contact with Beckstrom s family about services The hometown crowd seated in bleachers and folding chairs lit candles as they heard from clergy and Gov Patrick Morrisey who stated he had visited Wolfe s family earlier in the day Wolfe of Martinsburg entered operation in February He had graduated from Musselman High School in according to Berkeley County Schools He remained hospitalized and fighting for his life Morrisey disclosed the following day during an interview with Fox News Channel s The Sunday Briefing U S Attorney General Pam Bondi advised Fox News Sunday that she also planned to meet with Wolfe s family Morrisey called it a challenging time for the state Calling Beckstrom a favorite daughter of Webster County he disclosed he promptly learned about her reputation as someone with a big heart who loved to serve others Beckstrom of Summersville graduated in June and enlisted that month She served with distinction as a military police officer according to the West Virginia National Guard She had a lot of kindness and she certainly had courage Morrisey recounted the crowd during Saturday s vigil Though her life lasted far too short she has left a mark that s going to last forever