Top Homeland Security Dem blasted for calling WV National Guard shooting ‘unfortunate accident’
Mississippi Democrat questions vetting approval, gets rebuked for comments
By Charles Creitz Fox News
Published December 11, 2025 12:34pm EST
The top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee was lambasted, almost immediately, for referring to the shooting of two West Virginia National Guardsmen in Washington as an "unfortunate accident" during a hearing Thursday.
On Thanksgiving Eve, WVNG Spc. Sarah Beckstrom of Webster County was killed and Andrew Wolfe of Berkeley County was gravely wounded allegedly by Rahmanullah Lakanwal – an Afghan refugee living in Bellingham, Washington.
During the "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland" hearing, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi pivoted to Homeland Security Kristi Noem after sparring with FBI Operations Director Michael Glasheen about the whereabouts of Antifa’s headquarters, to ask who approved Lakanwal’s vetting.
"Madam Secretary, you and the gentleman from NCTC (Joe Kent) reference the unfortunate accident that occurred with the National Guardsman being killed," Thompson told Noem.
The secretary shot back: "You think that was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack."
Thompson waved his hand up to gesture tward Noem, replying: "I’ll get it straight – then you can respond."
Noem replied: "He shot our national guardsmen in the head."
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-homeland-security-dem-blasted-calling-wv-national-guard-shooting-unfortunate-accident
