Slain National Guardswoman Sarah Beckstrom’s Marine former boyfriend was among the stricken mourners at a weekend memorial service for her at their old high school.
Adam Carr, who was Beckstrom’s high-school sweetheart, joined about 150 people at the touching vigil and remembrance ceremony Saturday at Webster County Regional High School in Cowan, W.Va. — not far from her tiny hometown of about 700 residents, Webster Springs, which lowered its flags to half-staff in her honor.
Beckstrom, 20, was gunned down by an Afghan national while patrolling the streets of DC last week.
Carr — who has described her as a caring person who would “do anything” for anyone who needed it — signed the guestbook alongside his brother, Bradlee Short, and father David Carr ahead of the service.
Beckstrom and Carr broke up last month after six years together but had remained close.
She enlisted in the West Virginial National Guard in June 2023 and was assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company. When she was deployed to the nation’s capital in August as part of President Trump’s violent-crime crackdown, she was initially reluctant, fearing she’d be lonely and homesick, Carr told NBC News on Friday.
But in true soldier fashion, she did what the mission called for, and once deployed, she began to enjoy the job and make military friends, who nicknamed her “Becky.”
She even had the option to return to West Virginia sooner but opted to stay in DC, Carr said. The victim even volunteered to work holiday shifts so others could be at home with their families, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Beckstrom was shot in the chest and head in a cowardly ambush attack while standing guard in DC a day before Thanksgiving along with fellow National Guard member US Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.
She was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery but succumbed to her wounds. Wolfe was gravely wounded and is still fighting for his life.
The alleged gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, who was shot several times by National Guard members before being taken into custody, also remains hospitalized.
He faces at least three counts of assault with intent to kill and criminal possession of a weapon, which each carry penalties up to 15 years behind bars.
Bondi said that prosecutors will pursue the death penalty against Lakanwal.
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