A National Guardsman deployed to patrol Washington, D.C., under President Trump’s crime crackdown is now facing criminal charges after authorities say he pointed a gun at a fellow service member.
Zion Mitchell, 21, of Macon, Georgia, was arrested this month and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of that alleged assault, according to a criminal complaint filed in D.C. Superior Court by the office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
The complaint says the incident unfolded on Aug. 25 outside a Popeyes in Northeast Washington, D.C., where the alleged victim was seated in a black van with other Guardsmen. She and Mitchell reportedly began arguing about their hairstyles and whether they complied with Army regulations.
The woman later told police she heard what sounded like a “holster click” and believed Mitchell had opened his holster. She said she later learned from another Guardsman that Mitchell had drawn his weapon and aimed it at her inside the van.
Multiple witnesses told investigators they saw Mitchell take out his gun and point it toward the victim, according to the complaint. One witness described Mitchell as someone who “picks on people and is aggressive,” while another said he was known for making threats toward women.
Mitchell initially characterized the exchange as playful when questioned by police, the complaint says. He later walked back that account and acknowledged that he had pulled out his pistol and pointed it in the woman’s direction.
Pirro has previously credited the National Guard with helping reduce violent crime in the nation’s capital. National Guard forces were first sent onto D.C. streets in August 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s anti-crime effort, which has also involved federal law enforcement personnel and local police.
Mitchell remains detained without bond, according to the public court docket.
An attorney for Mitchell could not be immediately reached.
