Top Homeland Security Dem blasted for calling WV National Guard shooting ‘unfortunate accident’

By Fox News · Fox News

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. TED CRUZ RESPONDS TO POORLY AGED CNN FACT-CHECK OF HIS 2021 CLAIM AFGHAN REFUGEES WEREN'T PROPERLY VETTED The secretary shot back: "You think that was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack ." Thompson waved his hand up to gesture toward Noem, replying: "I’ll get it straight – then you can respond." Noem replied: "He shot our national guardsmen in the head." NOEM CALLS FOR 'FULL TRAVEL BAN' ON COUNTRIES 'FLOODING' US WITH IMMIGRANTS AFTER DC ATTACK Thompson appeared to wince before turning to Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., to ask him to direct Noem to let him finish his question: " It was an unfortunate situation, but you blamed it solely on Joe Biden . I want you to know who approved the asylum application for this same person." Noem countered that Lakanwal was one of thousands of Afghans admitted through Biden’s "Operation Allies Welcome" and "Operation Allies Refuge," programs that her predecessor Alejandro Mayorkas repeatedly claimed had undergone full vetting. KRISTI NOEM FACES FIRST MAJOR HOMELAND SECURITY GRILLING AS LAWMAKERS PRESS HER ON TERROR THREA…