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National Guard member arrested in DC, accused of drawing gun on fellow Guard member
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− Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics National Guard member arrested in DC, accused of drawing gun on fellow Guard member A member of the Georgia National Guard deployed in Washington, D.C., as part of a task force to fight crime, has been arrested for pulling a gun on a fellow Guard member in an alleged dispute over regulation haircuts.
+ Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics National Guard member arrested for drawing weapon A member of the Georgia National Guard deployed in Washington, D.C., as part of a task force to fight crime, has been arrested for pulling a gun on a fellow Guard member in an alleged dispute over regulation haircuts.
− National National Guard member arrested in DC, accused of drawing gun on fellow Guard member September 9, 20265:05 AM ET By
The Associated Press
Members of the National Guard walk past the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before the March on Washington, Friday, Aug.
+ National National Guard member arrested after drawing gun on fellow soldier in D.C.
+ Updated September 9, 20262:50 PM ET Originally published September 9, 20265:05 AM ET By
Ava Berger
Members of the National Guard walk past the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool before the March on Washington, Friday, Aug.
− Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption
WASHINGTON — A member of the Georgia National Guard deployed in Washington, D.C., as part of President Donald Trump's task force to fight crime has been arrested for pulling a gun on a fellow Guard member in an alleged dispute over regulation haircuts.
+ Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption
A member of the National Guard was arrested earlier this month in Washington, D.C., on felony charges for allegedly pointing his gun at a fellow guard member during a dispute over regulation hairstyles.
+ According to an arrest affidavit filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, during the argument, Zion Mitchell, 21, a National Guard member from Georgia, drew his service revolver and pointed it at another soldier.
− deployment Zion Mitchell, 21, was arrested earlier this month and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm while committing a crime of violence or dangerous crime — both felonies — in connection with an Aug.
+ deployment The female guard member, who had the gun pointed at her, stated to detectives that she believed the firearm was loaded since all National Guard firearms are "generally loaded."
Mitchell has been charged with two felonies: assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous crime.
− 25 incident that occurred when a group of the Guard troops took a break, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.
The arrest warrant said Mitchell and the fellow guard member, a woman, were sitting in a van when they began arguing over whether their hairstyles met Army regulations.
+ During a preliminary hearing on Sept.
− The argument went back and forth until she heard a holster click and thought Mitchell had opened his holster.
She learned from fellow Guard members after getting out of the van that a weapon had been drawn and pointed at her.
+ 4, he was ordered held without bond in a D.C.
− She told the investigating MPD officer that she assumed the gun was loaded since all National Guard firearms are generally loaded.
+ jail "due to the nature of the crimes," according to a court docket.
− Mitchell was arrested Sept.
+ Mitchell's lawyer and the D.C.
− 1.
+ Joint Task Force, the law enforcement collaboration behind the guard's deployment, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
− A request for comment from the Joint Task Force on the soldier's status was not immediately answered.
The presence of National Guard members in Washington has been contentious since August 2025, when Trump issued an emergency order because of what he said was out-of-control crime.
National Guard deployments Armed troops have patrolled D.C.
+ The arrest affidavit said that on Aug.
− for 1 year now.
+ 25, several guard members were sitting in a black van during a patrol break outside of a Popeyes restaurant.
− It's challenging democratic norms The local National Guard was activated and deployed to the streets, along with hundreds of federal law enforcement officers and agents. Trump also took control, briefly, of the local police department. States, all led by Republican governors, sent members of their Guard forces as well.
+ Mitchell and a female guard member were arguing about whether their hairstyles were following army regulations.
− The deployment has been extended until January 2029.
There are more than 3,100 guard members, from 18 states, Puerto Rico and D.C.
+ Mitchell, who was sitting in the third row of the van, and the female guard member, who was sitting in the front seat, got into an increasingly heated exchange.
− still operating in the city as part of the task force.
+ According to the affidavit, the woman in the argument said that "Mitchell stated something to the effect of 'I would slap the Jackson 5 out of you.'" After more back-and-forths, the female guard member, who was not identified in court documents, responded: "shut the f*** up."
Though the woman in the front seat did not see Mitchell pull his gun out, she said she heard a "holster click" and witnesses inside the van stated they saw it raised.
− More than 5,000 were in the city for Freedom 250 events in July and August.
+ The female guard member then left the van and went inside Popeyes.
− Georgia has the second largest contingent with 531 personnel, as of Sept.
+ National Guard deployments Armed troops have patrolled D.C.
− 8.
That participation has sparked anger among some in Washington who say the troops are here illegally and not lowering serious crimes.
Over the months, Guard members have responded to medical emergencies, assisted with arrests, helped local police enforce the city's juvenile curfew and carried out beautification projects.
+ for 1 year now.
− The D.C.
+ It's challenging democratic norms Mitchell initially told detectives that he was in a "playful argument" with the female guard member when "he pulled a pistol magazine out of his vest pocket and pointed it at her."
Mitchell later recanted that version of events and according to the affidavit he told detectives that "during the argument, he did pull out his pistol and point it in the direction of [the female guard member], but that the pistol was pointed at a roughly 45 degree angle downward and not pointed towards her head."
The National Guard was deployed to Washington, D.C., by President Trump as part of an anti-crime initiative more than a year ago.
− Guard helped with snow removal during a major storm in January.
+ Their deployment was extended to the end of his term.
+ Some guard members who are no longer a part of the mission told NPR in August that they worry that Trump's unprecedented use of the military in domestic matters is damaging the National Guard's reputation with the American public.