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National Guard Member Allegedly Pulls Loaded Gun During Argument Over Hair
An argument over an Army hairstyle rule allegedly escalated into a loaded gun being pointed at a fellow National Guard member during a break in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Katlynn Pickle
Zion Mitchell, a 21-year-old Georgia National Guard member deployed to the capital, is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly pulling his service pistol during an argument with a female Guardsman, according to court documents.
The confrontation happened last month while several Guard members were sitting inside a van parked outside a Popeyes in Northeast Washington.
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The argument reportedly started over whether a particular hairstyle complied with Army grooming regulations.
According to the documents, Mitchell became increasingly aggressive during the exchange. He allegedly told the woman, āI would slap the Jackson 5 out of you.ā
She eventually told him to stop.
Then, according to her account to police, she heard the distinctive sound of a pistol being drawn.
The woman could not see Mitchell clearly because she was sitting in the front passenger seat while he was farther back in the van. But another Guardsman reportedly shouted at Mitchell to put the weapon away, saying he had nearly shot his hand.
Another member of the group allegedly asked Mitchell why he had pulled the weapon.
His reported response was that it did not matter because the gun was on safe.
Police later learned that the weapon was allegedly loaded and had a round in the chamber.
Mitchell initially told investigators that he had pulled out a pistol magazine during what he described as playful arguing. He later acknowledged that he had actually pulled out his pistol, according to the court documents.
Other Guardsmen interviewed by police described Mitchell as frequently antagonistic. One reportedly told investigators that Mitchell regularly picked on people, while another alleged that he had a habit of threatening women.
Mitchell now faces felony charges including assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He is being held in a Washington, D.C., jail without bail, with a court hearing scheduled for September 15.
The case comes as thousands of National Guard personnel remain deployed in Washington under President Donald Trump's federal crime initiative, making the alleged confrontation particularly striking.
A deployment intended to put armed personnel on the streets of the capital has now produced an alleged weapons incident among the troops themselves.
For the Guardsmen inside that van, however, the issue that started the confrontation was reportedly far more ordinary: whether someone's haircut met Army standards.
Editor's Note: The allegations against Zion Mitchell have not been proven in court. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
