Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., have been directed not to pursue felony charges against individuals carrying rifles or shotguns in the city, regardless of available evidence, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and an internal Department of Justice email.
The policy shift, announced Tuesday and detailed in an email reviewed by The Washington Post, was developed by the DOJ in consultation with the solicitor general’s office, according to Pirro.
It marks a significant departure from prior practice, under which prosecutors pursuing criminal cases regularly invoked the District’s prohibition on carrying such firearms.
In the past, the law was used in several high-profile prosecutions, including a 2019 shotgun attack in Northeast Washington and the 2016 “Pizzagate” shooting in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
The new directive comes as the Trump administration expands federal law enforcement in the capital as part of a broader campaign to reduce crime. The White House said this week the surge had already led to the seizure of 68 firearms.
Pirro, sworn in earlier this month as the District’s top federal prosecutor, said her office will continue to charge violent crimes and firearms trafficking involving rifles or shotguns. Handgun prosecutions, which make up the majority of D.C. gun cases, will not be affected.
