A patrol meant to project order in Washington, DC, instead produced a criminal case. A 21-year-old National Guard soldier, Zion Mitchell of Macon, Georgia, has been charged with two felonies after authorities say he pulled his service handgun on a fellow soldier during an argument last month, reports the New York Times. According to a criminal complaint, Mitchell drew the weapon and aimed it at a female Guard member while their unit was on a break along the H Street corridor on Aug. 25, amid a spat she said started over whether their hairstyles met Army rules.
Witnesses told investigators the gun was loaded and that another soldier told Mitchell to put it away. Mitchell first claimed he'd only pointed a magazine at her as part of "playful" back-and-forth, then admitted he'd pulled the pistol but said it was angled downward, the complaint states. The female soldier, meanwhile, said she hadn't known the weapon was actually drawn until later, when she was informed by other service members—she'd only heard a holster click, per the AP.
One witness says the woman soldier told her that she'd had issues with Mitchell since she'd rebuffed his overtures, and that he "threatens" women, per the Hill. He allegedly told her he'd "slap the Jackson 5 out of you" before pulling his weapon. Mitchell, who was arrested Sept. 1, was charged in civilian court with assault with a dangerous weapon and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, counts that could bring up to 25 years behind bars, including a five-year mandatory minimum, per the Times. Held without bond, Mitchell remains in the DC jail. Neither the US attorney's office nor the National Guard has explained why the case isn't in military court.
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