Federal officials say the man accused of shooting a National Guard member in Washington, D.C., had a significant criminal record, including convictions for attacking police officers and unlawfully possessing a firearm.
The U.S. Marshals Service identified the suspect Monday as 41-year-old Jerrell Jackson. The shooting occurred around 11:15 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of 8th Street SE, where troops were responding to a street fight.
According to the agency, Jackson previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. He also had three parole violations.
Court records reviewed by News Media indicate that Jackson has been involved in at least 13 criminal cases or arrests in the District since 2004. The allegations included gun and drug offenses, assault, threats and unlawful entry. Some matters ended in convictions, while others were dismissed or handled through diversion programs.
Jerrell Jackson, 41, was named as the suspect in the shooting of a National Guard member during an effort to break up a street fight in Washington, D.C. (White House)
“We are praying this National Guard member has a quick and speedy recovery,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in a statement to News Media. “The suspect in the shooting has a lengthy rap sheet including two counts of assault of a police officer, illegally carrying a pistol, and multiple parole violations.”
The Guard member suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was later discharged from the hospital.
The incident began when at least two men started fighting outside a local business. National Guard members intervened, and at least one of the men opened fire.
Guard members returned fire, striking Jackson in the abdomen, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
Jackson was transported to a separate hospital for medical treatment.
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National Guard members walk through the area after two Guard soldiers were shot near the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
Authorities found a firearm in an alley beside the scene, along with at least 14 shell casings. Officials said no additional suspects remained at large, and no other Guard members or civilians were hurt.
The U.S. Marshals Service and the National Guard declined to release the wounded service member’s identity, citing privacy protections and the continuing investigation.
The shooting occurred as the Trump administration highlights the efforts of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, a coalition comprising more than 20 federal and local agencies, as well as the National Guard.
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National Guard troops patrol the District of Columbia in 2026. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)
The Marshals Service said the task force has made more than 18,000 arrests, confiscated nearly 2,200 illegal firearms and helped return 28 missing children to their homes.
Bis said the task force has contributed to a decline in violent crime across the nation’s capital.
“Thanks to the President’s Safe and Beautiful Task Force violent crime in the city has drastically decreased,” Bis said. “D.C. residents and visitors are thankful for all the Task Force has done to drive down crime and make our nation’s capital safe again.”