Veteran Anna King sues Idaho National Guard over DC detention
Anna King, a retired U.S. Army captain who served in Iraq and earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, was detained on May 8 in the front yard of her Washington, D.C., home by three Idaho National Guard members. The troops pushed her to the ground, zip‑tied her hands behind her back, and held her despite having no arrest powers. King can be heard in the Ring video saying, “Get away from me right now” and “You have absolutely no authority to detain me.”
The ACLU of the District of Columbia and the law firm Levy Firestone Muse have filed a federal tort claim seeking $3 million in damages against the Idaho National Guard, alleging assault and lasting injuries. The Guard says King was suspected of assaulting a guard two days earlier, but no charges have been filed. The three soldiers are among nearly 5,000 National Guard troops deployed to D.C. as part of President Trump’s anti‑crime task force. All were deputized as special police by the U.S. Marshals Service, carrying handguns and authorized only to detain individuals until a police officer arrives. The Idaho National Guard declined comment, stating it takes all allegations of misconduct seriously.
Entities
ACLU of the District of Columbia · Anna King · Idaho National Guard · Levy Firestone Muse · U.S. Marshals Service
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The ACLU of the District of Columbia and law firm Levy Firestone Muse filed a federal tort claim seeking $3 million in damages against the Idaho National Guard on King's behalf. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] National Guard members can detain individuals until an officer arrives but do not have arrest powers. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Guard members were deputized as special police by the U.S. Marshals Service and were carrying handguns. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] The three Guard members were part of nearly 5,000 National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., under President Trump's anti‑crime task force. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Guard members zip‑tied King's hands behind her back during the detention. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Guard claimed King was suspected of assaulting a guard member two days earlier, but no charges have been filed. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] Anna King, a retired U.S. Army captain, was detained on May 8 in her front yard in Washington, D.C., by three Idaho National Guard members. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Idaho National Guard declined to comment on the lawsuit, stating it takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. www.ksfr.org · www.kpbs.org · www.npr.org