Guardsman Charged After Pointing Pistol at Colleague Over Hairstyle Rules

Georgia National Guard Spc. Zion Mitchell, 21, is being held without bond in Washington, D.C., on felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Authorities allege that during an Aug. 25 argument over Army hairstyle regulations, Mitchell drew and pointed a loaded service pistol at a fellow Guardswoman in a patrol van parked near a Popeyes restaurant on H Street Northeast. Mitchell initially described the exchange as playful banter and later acknowledged pointing the pistol, but said it was angled downward, not at the woman’s head, and on safe; witnesses said they heard a holster click and saw him aim the weapon, which had a round chambered. No injuries were reported, and a National Guard liaison reported the incident to police. Mitchell’s next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15, as more than 3,000 National Guard troops from several states have been assigned to Washington’s public-safety mission.