A shocking tragedy involving West Virginia National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., has ignited a firestorm on Capitol Hill, with a senior Democrat’s choice of words drawing sharp criticism.
The heartbreaking incident on Thanksgiving Eve, where Spc. Sarah Beckstrom of Webster County was killed and Andrew Wolfe of Berkeley County was gravely wounded, became the centerpiece of a contentious House Homeland Security Committee hearing titled "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland", as Fox News reports.
The alleged shooter, Afghan refugee Rahmanullah Lakanwal from Bellingham, Washington, was the focus of intense scrutiny during the session, as lawmakers clashed over his vetting process and the policies that allowed his entry into the U.S.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the ranking Democrat on the committee, stirred the pot by calling the shooting an "unfortunate accident," a phrase that landed like a lead balloon among colleagues and observers alike.
"Madam Secretary, you and the gentleman from NCTC reference the unfortunate accident that occurred with the National Guardsman being killed," Thompson said during the hearing. Let’s be clear: minimizing a soldier’s death as a mere mishap isn’t just tone-deaf—it’s a slap in the face to those who serve.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem didn’t hold back, firing off a pointed rebuttal that cut through the diplomatic fog with the precision of a bayonet. "You think that was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack," she countered, reminding everyone of the gravity of a guardsman being shot in the head.
The exchange between Thompson and Noem quickly escalated into a heated debate over who bears responsibility for Lakanwal’s presence in the country, with fingers pointed at past administrative failures.
Noem insisted that Lakanwal entered under Biden-era programs like "Operation Allies Welcome" and "Operation Allies Refuge," claiming the vetting was handled—or mishandled—by that administration without the required annual check-ins.
Thompson pushed back, citing reports that suggest the final approval for Lakanwal’s asylum may have occurred under the Trump administration, even floating the idea of perjury charges against Noem for her account of the timeline.
Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., had to step in repeatedly to keep the discussion from derailing, as tempers flared over accountability and the tragic loss of life.
Rep. Andy Ogles IV, R-Tenn., minced no words in condemning Thompson’s framing, declaring the incident a "murder" and calling the Democrat’s remarks outright disrespectful to the fallen and wounded.
Noem doubled down on her critique, arguing that Lakanwal had been vetted to fight alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, a credential the Biden administration allegedly leaned on to justify his entry without proper follow-up scrutiny.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, was lined up to question next, as the hearing continued to unravel the layers of bureaucratic missteps that may have led to this devastating event.
This isn’t just about one man’s actions; it’s about a system that seems more focused on ticking boxes than protecting those who protect us. When National Guardsmen are gunned down in our nation’s capital, calling it an "accident" feels like a dodge of the hard questions about immigration policy and vetting failures.
The clash on Capitol Hill serves as a stark reminder that words matter, especially when they concern the ultimate sacrifice of our service members. While both sides trade barbs over who dropped the ball, the families of Spc. Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe deserve more than political point-scoring—they deserve accountability and a commitment to ensure this never happens again.
