National Guard Member Shot in Washington; Suspect Has Record of 13 Prior Cases

The man accused of shooting a National Guard member in Washington, D.C., as troops moved to break up a street fight had previously been convicted of assaulting police officers and illegally carrying a gun, federal officials said.

The U.S. Marshals Service on Monday identified Jerrell Jackson, 41, as the suspect in the shooting, which happened at about 11:15 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of 8th Street SE.

Officials said a fight broke out between at least two men outside a local business, and National Guard members stepped in to break it up. At least one of the men then opened fire.

A National Guard member was shot in the leg. He was taken to a hospital and has since been released.

National Guard members returned fire, hitting Jackson in the abdomen, according to the Marshals Service. He was taken to another hospital for treatment.

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll said early Monday that a suspect with a weapon was struck when National Guard members responded to the street fight.

Investigators recovered a gun in an alley next to the shooting scene, along with at least 14 shell casings. No other suspects were at large, and no other Guard members or civilians were injured.

According to the Marshals Service, Jackson was previously convicted of two counts of assault of a police officer and one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and had three parole violations.

Court records show Jackson has faced at least 13 prior criminal cases or arrests in the District dating back to 2004, involving allegations ranging from gun and drug offenses to assault, threats and unlawful entry. Some cases resulted in convictions, while others were dismissed or resolved through diversion.

White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in a statement, “We are praying this National Guard member has a quick and speedy recovery,” adding that the suspect has a lengthy rap sheet including two counts of assault of a police officer, illegally carrying a pistol, and multiple parole violations.

The Marshals Service and the National Guard said they would not identify the wounded Guard member because of privacy concerns and the ongoing investigation.

The shooting comes as the Trump administration touts the work of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which brings together more than 20 federal and local agencies along with the National Guard. The task force has made more than 18,000 arrests, seized nearly 2,200 illegal guns and returned 28 missing children home, the Marshals Service said.

Bis credited the task force with driving down violent crime in the nation’s capital, saying D.C. residents and visitors are thankful for what it has done to make the capital safe again.