A National Guard member was shot in the leg while attempting to stop a late-night altercation in southeast Washington, prompting three fellow Guard members to return fire and wound the suspected gunman, police said.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A National Guard member and an armed suspect were wounded Sunday night, Oct. 18, after a group of soldiers attempted to intervene in a street fight near Washington, D.C.’s Eastern Market neighborhood, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
The confrontation occurred at approximately 11:10 p.m. in the 400 block of Eighth Street Southeast, directly outside a D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services station.
Metropolitan Police Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll said seven or eight National Guard members were traveling together in a van when they noticed several individuals fighting on a nearby sidewalk.
The Guard members exited their vehicle and approached the confrontation in an effort to stop the disturbance.
According to Carroll, one of the individuals involved in the fight pulled out a firearm and began shooting as the soldiers approached.
The Guard members ordered the armed individual to drop his weapon, but the suspect allegedly continued firing and pointed the gun toward them.
Three National Guard members responded by discharging their firearms, striking the suspect in the abdomen.
One soldier was shot in the leg during the exchange.
Both injured individuals were taken inside the nearby fire station, where emergency personnel provided assistance and contacted police.
According to FOX 5 Washington’s report, the wounded Guard member was transported to a local hospital for treatment and subsequently released.
The suspected gunman was also hospitalized with injuries that authorities described as non-life-threatening.
Police said both individuals were expected to survive.
Investigators believe the initial dispute may have started inside a nearby business before escalating into a confrontation on the sidewalk.
The circumstances surrounding that earlier altercation remain under investigation, and authorities have not publicly established what prompted the dispute.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division and Criminal Investigations Division responded to the scene.
Their investigation will examine the events leading to the shooting, including the suspect’s alleged actions and the circumstances under which the three Guard members discharged their weapons.
Police have not publicly identified the wounded soldier or the suspected gunman.
Authorities also have not released information concerning the suspect’s possible criminal charges or whether additional individuals involved in the original fight could face prosecution.
Carroll said investigators were working to reconstruct the confrontation and determine precisely how the shooting unfolded.
Police emphasized that the situation had been contained and that there was no continuing danger to the surrounding community.
The shooting occurred amid an ongoing National Guard deployment in the nation’s capital, where troops have been assigned to support public safety operations.
President Donald Trump ordered the deployment in August 2025 as part of his administration’s effort to address crime and strengthen security in Washington.
The operation has involved Guard personnel from the District of Columbia and other states, with soldiers assigned to patrol public areas and support law enforcement activities.
The deployment has also generated legal and political disagreements concerning the military’s role in domestic public safety operations.
Supporters of the initiative argue that the additional personnel provide a visible security presence and help deter criminal activity.
Critics have questioned whether the deployment is necessary and raised concerns about the use of military forces in civilian law enforcement.
Sunday’s shooting highlights the potential dangers facing personnel assigned to public safety duties, particularly when responding to unpredictable confrontations involving firearms.
The incident also raises questions investigators must address regarding the sequence of events, including when shots were fired, the directions given by Guard members and the justification for returning fire.
Police have not indicated that the wounded soldier or any other Guard member was involved in the original dispute.
Instead, authorities described the soldiers as attempting to stop an altercation they encountered while traveling through the neighborhood.
The Metropolitan Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed the confrontation or possesses additional information to contact investigators.
As of Monday, Oct. 19, authorities had not announced the completion of their investigation.
The injured Guard member’s release from the hospital and the suspect’s expected recovery mean the shooting is not currently being investigated as a fatal incident.
Officials said the investigation remains active as detectives work to determine the circumstances of the gunfire and whether criminal charges are warranted.
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