Federal complaint leaves Guardsman shooting question unresolved

The federal complaint against Jerrell Lamont Jackson alleges he fired toward National Guard members during an Oct. 18 shooting in Southeast Washington. But it does not identify who fired the shot that wounded a Guardsman or allege that Jackson caused that injury, unlike the Metropolitan Police Department’s account the day after the shooting.

The shooting happened at about 11:10 p.m. in the 400 block of 8th Street SE. The complaint says a Guardsman reported being hit in the right leg after an exchange of gunfire. Jackson was treated for a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The U.S. attorney’s office described both injuries as non-life-threatening.

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Oct. 20 and announced by the U.S. attorney’s office on Oct. 21. The U.S. attorney identified the injured member as a Georgia National Guardsman.

Federal and local charges are separate i

The federal complaint lists three offenses: possessing a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction; assault with a dangerous weapon; and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense. The first is charged under federal law; the other two are under D.C. law.

MPD separately announced four local charges against Jackson: assault with a dangerous weapon, assault on a police officer and emergency personnel, carrying a pistol without a license, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The local list includes an assault-on-police-and-emergency-personnel charge that is not among the three offenses in the federal complaint.

The three federal offenses and four local charges are separate charging lists, not a single combined count. The federal complaint opens a federal case; MPD’s local charges were announced separately. The complaint does not establish that the local charges were replaced or resolved.

Accounts differ on who caused the injury i

MPD’s Oct. 19 statement says Jackson fired toward Guardsmen, striking one, and that three Guardsmen fired toward Jackson, hitting him. The federal complaint says Jackson fired in the Guardsmen’s direction, but describes the Guardsman as reporting that he was hit after the exchange. It does not say Jackson fired the injuring shot or identify who did.

The complaint is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. The different descriptions matter: MPD’s statement attributes the Guardsman’s injury to Jackson, while the federal complaint does not make that attribution.