National Guardsman charged after pointing loaded pistol at fellow soldier in DC

A 21-year-old Army National Guard member faces two felony charges after allegedly drawing a loaded service weapon on a fellow Guardswoman on H Street NE on 25 August.

Army Guardsman held without bond after H Street NE weapon incident

A 21-year-old Army National Guard member from Georgia has been charged with two felonies after he allegedly pointed a loaded service pistol at a fellow Guardswoman during an argument outside a restaurant on H Street NE in Washington, DC, hillrag.com reports. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) filed the charges on 2 September, relating to an incident that took place on 25 August at approximately 11:30 a.m.

According to an arrest-warrant affidavit filed by MPD Detective Jacob Krycia, eight Guardsmen were sitting in a black van outside the Popeyes restaurant at 1226 H St. NE, taking a break from a walking patrol. The suspect and the alleged victim — a female soldier — became involved in a verbal dispute over hairstyles and compliance with Army regulations. During the exchange, the suspect allegedly told the woman he would "slap the Jackson 5" out of her.

After she told him to be quiet, she heard what she described as a holster clicking open. A fellow soldier told the suspect to put the weapon away and informed him that he had nearly shot her in the hand, the affidavit states. The alleged victim told police she did not personally see the suspect draw his pistol. Two other soldiers, however, told detectives they witnessed him point it in her direction over the shoulder of another guardsperson.

One of those witnesses said the suspect responded to a warning by stating that the pistol was "on safe." That same witness told police the weapon was loaded with a round in the chamber — a condition that, witnesses said, is standard for Guardsmen on patrol.

MPD detectives interviewed the group the following morning, 26 August, at the DC Armory at 2001 E. Capitol St. NE, after a National Guard liaison reported the incident. The suspect initially told investigators he had only pointed a pistol magazine during what he described as "playful banter." He later acknowledged drawing the actual pistol and directing it toward the woman, but claimed the muzzle was angled approximately 45 degrees downward rather than at her head, according to the affidavit.

A DC Superior Court judge approved an arrest warrant on 1 September. Court records indicate the suspect was arrested the following day. The US Attorney for DC had scheduled a preliminary hearing for 4 September, which the defendant waived. He remained in custody after that hearing. A status hearing is set for 15 September, according to the Office of the US Attorney for the District of Columbia (USA-DC).

USA-DC has charged the suspect with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Court documents reviewed by hillrag.com do not identify the suspect's unit or state Guard affiliation, nor do they indicate that the pistol was discharged or that anyone sustained physical injuries. The suspect is being held without bond, court filings indicate, "due to the nature of the crimes."

"The case is being prosecuted consistent with all DC violent crime cases and remains under investigation," said Timothy Lauer, Executive Director of External Affairs for the Department of Justice.

The National Guard, via the DC Joint Task Force, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The incident adds to growing scrutiny of armed National Guard deployments in the capital. When troops began carrying M17 pistols or M4 rifles in August 2025, Joint Task Force-District of Columbia stated that force would be used only as a last resort in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.

Other incidents have already sharpened that scrutiny. Reuters reported on 19 August that DC police had arrested two off-duty soldiers for alleged violations of District firearms laws, though prosecutors later dropped both cases. The same news agency identified 62 court cases in which troops were allegedly pushed, punched, spat on, or threatened — separate from a November 2025 ambush that killed West Virginia Army National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and seriously wounded Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe.

The financial scale of the deployment also provides context. According to the Congressional Budget Office, deploying a single National Guard member costs approximately $600 per day. The Department of Defense had estimated the total cost of deploying an average of 2,500 troops through January 2029 at $1.4 billion — a figure calculated before troop strength was roughly doubled to approximately 5,000 members in May 2026.

This is a developing story.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)