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4mo ago

Pirro Halts Felony Charges for Carrying Registered Rifles and Shotguns in D.C.

The shift follows DOJ and solicitor general guidance that D.C.'s long‑gun carry ban likely conflicts with recent Supreme Court rulings.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro speaks during a newss conference first about the indictment of an alleged Haitian gang leader and then about murders in Washington in 2024 and 2025, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US Attorney For Washington, DC Jeanine Pirro holds a press conference at the Patrick Henry Building in Washington, DC, on August 12, 2025.
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Overview

  • U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro directed federal prosecutors not to seek separate felony counts solely for possession of registered long guns in Washington, D.C.
  • Prosecutors will still bring cases when a rifle or shotgun is used in a violent crime or possessed by someone barred from having firearms, the policy excludes handguns, and it extends to large‑capacity magazines.
  • Local officials can continue prosecutions for unregistered or illegal long guns under D.C. law, which has previously been used in high‑profile cases such as a 2019 shotgun attack and the 2016 “Pizzagate” shooting.
  • The change lands during President Donald Trump’s declared crime emergency in the capital, with the White House reporting 76 firearms seized and a White House official saying federal agents have made more than 630 arrests.
  • Pirro says the approach follows guidance from the Justice Department and Solicitor General John Sauer interpreting Heller and Bruen as conflicting with D.C.’s blanket long‑gun carry prohibition.