A young servicewoman volunteered to help another fellow human being by working in their place. It was the holiday season, and her heart was in the right place. "Goodwill to all people," she must have thought—a chance to do a kind deed for another person. One day, it would be her turn for a break, and another kind soul would volunteer for her.
Sarah Beckstrom should have been home for Thanksgiving. The 20-year-old National Guard member had volunteered to take someone’s shift, allowing another member to go home and be with family for the holiday.
Instead, she became a victim of a shooting that ignited a firestorm over immigration vetting and national security. On Wednesday evening, the day before Thanksgiving, near the White House, Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe were gunned down while on duty. Becstrom died from her injuries, while Wolfe remains in critical condition. He is a wounded American soldier, injured on American soil by an improperly vetted individual approved by the Biden administration. He is currently fighting for his life.
Their alleged attacker was no stranger to the U.S. government. He was an Afghan refugee who had worked with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and entered the U.S. during the chaotic evacuation of Kabul. He was granted asylum just months ago, in April 2025.
Now, investigators are asking the same question: How and why did this happen?
How will the CIA and Homeland Security secure and vet those already in our country? How will the system change to find those who do not belong here among actual and provable peaceful citizens?
How does this country track down those like this shooter before they strike can cause more damage?
When do we in the United States take measures to back those who could but will not assimilate into our customs, our values? They came here to escape what their world wasbut brought that problem to themselves again, becoming what they escaped. Even worse, forcing that culture on everyone else in the same violent manner
**THE VETTING THAT WASN'T**
The case has exposed a troubling problem in America's screening processes. According to the government, the suspect had been vetted by the intelligence community, but only for his ability to fight alongside U.S. forces against the Taliban, not for his suitability to resettle in America as a refugee. The CIA cleared him to operate in a war zone, but no one seems to have adequately assessed whether he posed a threat on American soil. The Agency has declined to comment on the specifics of his background or how extensively he was screened before being granted asylum.
Another question: Many American citizens with no background gitches can't buy a firearm in any state. Walmart told me I needed a driver's license and a birth certificate to buy .22 caliber target bullets recently....Who sold that gun and ammo to a non-citizen, and where?
For the families of Becstrom and Wolfe, these explanations offer little comfort.
**A POLITICAL EXPLOSION**
The shooting has become immediate political ammunition. President Trump wasted no time responding to the attack, announcing plans to "permanently pause migration from all third-world countries." His statement framed the incident as proof that current refugee policies are dangerously flawed.
"This never should have happened," Trump stated. A young service woman volunteered to help out another fellow human being by working in their place. It was the holiday and her heart was n the right place. Good will to all people, she must have thought. A chance to do a nice deed for another person. One day, it would be her turn for a break, and another kind soul would volunteer for her.
Sarah Becstrom should have been home for Thanksgiving. The 20-year-old National Guard member had volunteered to take someone's shift. This allowed another member to go home and be with family for the holiday to be with family.
Instead, she became the victim of a shooting that has ignited a firestorm over immigration vetting and national security.
On Wednesday evening, the day before Thanksgiving, near the shadow of the White House, Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe were gunned down while on duty. Becstrom died from her injuries. Wolfe remains in critical condition at the time of this writing. He is a wounded American soldier. Wounded on American soil by an improperly vetted Biden White House. He is currently fighting for his life.
Their alleged attacker was no stranger to the U.S. Government. He was an Afghan refugee who had worked with the CIA(Central Intelligence Agency). He had entered during the chaotic evacuation of Kabul. He was granted asylum just months ago, in April 2025.
Now, investigators are asking the same question: How and why did this happen?
THE VETTING THAT WASN'T
The case has exposed a troubling problem in America's screening processes. According to the government, the suspect has been vetted by the intelligence community.--- but only for his ability to fight alongside u.s forces against the Taliban, not for his fitness to resettle in America as a refugee.
The CIA cleared him to operate in a war zone. But no one seems to have adequately assessed whether he posed a threat to American soil. The Agency has declined to comment on the specifics of his background or how extensively he was screened before being granted asylum.
For the families of Becstrom and Wolfe, these explanations offer little comfort.
A POLITICAL EXPLOSION
The shooting has become an immediate political ammunition. President Trump wasted no time responding to the attack, announcing plans to "permanently pause migration from all third-world countries. His statement framed the incident as proof that the current refugee policies are dangerously flawed.
This never should have happened, Trump said in a statement. We're letting people into our country that we know nothing about, and now a brave young woman is dead because of it.
Defenders of the refugee resettlement program have pushed back, noting that isolated incidents should not be used to shut down humanitarian programs entirely. But in a current political moment, nuance is in short supply.
QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANSWERS
As the investigations continue, critical questions remain unanswered,
What triggered the attack? Authorities have not disclosed a motive, though the FBI is investigating potential ties to terrorism.
Were there warning signs? Friends, family, or community members who might have noticed troubling behavior before the shooting?
What will happen to the thousands of other Afghans brought to the U.S. under similar circumstances? Will they face additional scrutiny? And should they?
For now, the focus is on the victims. Sarah Becstrom, who chose service over comfort. Andrew Wofe is fighting and barely clinging to life in a hospital bed at 22years old. There is also the uncomfortable reality that even in the heart of our nation's capital, only blocks from the White House, those who guard us are not safe themselves.
Question to ponder: These same extremists of all flags are marching in our American streets to bring Philosophies never intended or appropriate for a Christian-based Nation. They have been allowed to commandeer cities, and the nation is in chaos.
There are courts and judges now interfering and commanding the running of the most powerful nation in the world, while our elected officials either can't or don't do anything about the treachery in our courts or cities, or with the seditious non-elected and elected officials influencing the destruction of our country
There has to be a reckoning of these wannabe non-elected residents who feel they know more than the 84 million voters. Apparently, these judges are not naturally born but are diverse appointees with no law background. A reckoning of ALL those proposing insurrection to our nation and its founders' inspirations.
If our country's elected officials would only stop profiting from the chaos, this sort of blatant murder by a foreign philosophy would never be able to commit such an atrocity in the very seat of world power.
Several steps must be taken, in my opinion, to change the course of what's happening to this country. These are the thoughts of a citizen born here with more than 2/3ds of a century of experience. I have in years past been in most major cities and watched the gradual decay happening.
I watched the 1968 Democratic riots, doing the same now as then, dancing, whistling, chanting stupid slogans, and being totally disrespectful to not only the police, but to anyone in the area. They just were nuts and not paying attention to reality, much as those defending the invaders in our streets now.
This discourse didn't work in the past and won't get them anything but heartache. There's so much more than the 84million who voted for MAGA now than in the last election.
It needs to be dealt with to prevent more damage and loss of life in our country. Those who are promoting the invasion of hostilities need to be dealt with by the authorities who took an oath to serve and protect.
These two uniformed Heroes, who, like all who serve this country, need Americans who love our country to stand up and will safeguard our citizens first. Both in and out of uniform. Who will fight to keep our values and concepts from being destroyed?
I pray for the families of both these fine young folks and their families. May God guide this country to a second awakening to find our roots again, and God bless the families, Sarah Beckstrom, and Andrew Wolfe.
It is so sad for this country, so many in the minority that can't see what holds a country in solidarity, but still safeguarding its people. I read an article on the Bolshevik Revolution and the order that said to execute the czar and his entire family.
The man's journal, who blindly followed orders and shot the Czar's daughter and sons' family. He knew it was wrong, but the movement had gone too far, and no one could stop it. I watched the Chicago and Portland "Peaceful Protesters" acting like their cult trances, uniformly chanting to the bullhorn leader. I wonder why the one with the bullhorn isn't removed for disturbing the peace, if nothing else. I see the violent expression and maniacal antics.
Either we can stop this; however, it is needed, or bear the consequences as the Czar or the Chinese during the Red Guards' murderous purge of millions who didn't agree.
It's my opinion, perhaps, that these two Americans, in or out of uniform, should never be murdered by anyone for just standing on the street anywhere in America. Particularly when it's directly due to our agencies taking shortcuts with our country's security. A particular origin and personas seem prone to these actions I have mentioned. visually,mentalyphilosophically.
That's my opinion for now, take it or leave it. May God give the Patriots strength to save our country and the wisdom to open the eyes of those who are lost.
Yours RJ Pickering
