A National Guard member from Georgia is facing felony charges after being accused of brandishing his gun at another service member during an argument over Army grooming standards, according to witness reports and an arrest affidavit.
More than 3,000 troops are currently stationed in D.C. to combat what President Donald Trump has called “the destructive forces of criminal activity” in Washington. The troops have been in the District since August 2025, and Trump recently extended their deployment until 2029.
On Aug. 25, a group of Guard members were “sitting in their black van in front of Popeyes” on H Street while they took a break from patrol, court documents said. Zion Mitchell, 21, was seated in the rear row of the vehicle when he got into an argument with a soldier seated in the right front passenger seat, according to the filings.