WASHINGTON — Working in close coordination with the U.S. Park Police, Soldiers with the Mississippi National Guard successfully tracked and isolated an armed suspect near the National Mall in Washington on April 17, 2026.
Mississippi National Guard Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force - District of Columbia (JTF-DC) were gathering for a shift change when they were approached by concerned citizens who alerted them to the presence of an individual brandishing a firearm. The team immediately began to locate the individual and contact the U.S. Park Police (USPP). They tracked the individual to Constitution Avenue. The team, following their de-escalation procedures, utilized tactical positioning to isolate the individual from the public. After USPP officers arrived at the scene, the individual fled into oncoming traffic and was struck by a law enforcement vehicle. USPP officers apprehended the individual as the Soldiers secured the immediate area and located the weapon.
“I believe that my team and the other Soldiers of the platoon that were responding…performed flawlessly,” says Staff Sgt. William Duncan, a squad leader with the Mississippi Army National Guard, currently assigned to JTF-DC. “We responded with equal force and swiftness to secure the person to a point where the Park Police could do their jobs.”
The Soldiers’ actions reflect the Army Values and the National Guard’s commitment to being ready, responsive, and engaged in the communities they serve.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.27.2026 16:20 |
| Story ID: | 563672 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, JTF Soldiers assist U.S. Park Police, by SSG Thomas Norris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
