Courtesy Photo | [Courtesy Photo] U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Rayshaun Clark, a military police...... read more read more
When an agitated man wielding a hammer and chains began chasing a mother and her young child through the streets of Southeast Washington, a Georgia National Guard Soldier’s civilian police training and teamwork kicked in just in time to prevent a possible tragedy.
On May 22, 2026 at approximately 11 a.m., the team patrolling Navy Yard South was contacted by the Navy Yard Metro team about a man who was making threats and wielding a hammer and told the patrolling team to be on the lookout. A few moments later, a suspect was spotted.
“We observed him near the intersection of South Place SE and Hill Street,” said U.S. Army Spc. Rayshaun Clark, a military police officer with the Georgia National Guard who is assigned to the Joint Task Force-District of Columbia supporting the DC Safe and Beautiful mission. “He had the hammer, but also had chains wrapped around his hands. He was pacing back and forth and talking to himself.”
According to a National Guard report, a suspect confronted a nearby mother and her young son, chasing them after a brief verbal exchange. The patrol team was calling 911 as the encounter turned violent.
“He grabbed the woman. He no longer had the hammer in his hands, but he still had the chains,” Clark said. “We ran after him, giving verbal commands to stop, release the woman and get on the ground.”
The patrol team’s commands were ignored at first, said Clark — a police officer in his civilian capacity. He considered the danger of the encounter and made the decision to draw his service pistol all the while attempting to de-escalate the situation.
Drawing on his civilian law enforcement training to determine reasonable force, Clark recognized the immediate danger. "This was an aggravated assault in progress," Clark said. "He had a hammer and chains that could cause great bodily harm, and I had to consider that there was a child present."
Once Clark drew his weapon and issued commands again, the suspect complied. He was placed in restraints and detained until officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived and took over the situation.
Clark credited his team's efforts as well as his civilian law enforcement training with allowing him to quickly de-escalate the tense encounter without any injuries. His dual-role expertise highlights the unique value that Joint Task Force-District of Columbia Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen bring to the nation's capital. Armed with deep local ties, diverse professional skills, and a proven track record of service, these dual-status service members remain uniquely qualified for the mission while reinforcing public trust in the National Guard.
“I’ve been a police officer on the civilian side since 2022,” Clark said. “I’ve been involved in these kinds of situations before, and at that moment my primary goal was public safety and to ensure the suspect didn’t hurt the woman, her child, himself or anyone else.”
“Our goal on this mission is to support civilian and federal law enforcement authorities, and keep people safe,” said Clark. “We want to ensure people know we are here to help. Don’t feel afraid to speak to us, to ask for help. If you need something from us, please just ask.”
Clark is among approximately 2,500 soldiers currently assigned to JTF-DC supporting the DC Safe and Beautiful mission.
| Date Taken: | 05.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.23.2026 15:14 |
| Story ID: | 566059 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Georgia National Guardsman safely de-escalates armed confrontation, by SSG Tianna Wilson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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