Overview

• Sean Charles Dunn, 37, was identified in court filings as the man who allegedly hurled a wrapped Subway footlong at a Customs and Border Protection agent during a late Sunday confrontation on the U Street corridor.
• U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced felony assault on a police officer charges Wednesday, signaling the start of federal court proceedings that carry enhanced penalties for attacks on federal officers.
• Video of the incident went viral, earning the moniker 'Footlong Guy' and dividing online audiences between humorous folk-hero memes and serious warnings of insurrectionist symbolism.
• President Trump invoked Section 740 of the DC Home Rule Act to deploy National Guard and federal agents in the capital on public safety grounds, prompting pushback from Mayor Muriel Bowser while crime data show violent offenses are at decades-low levels.
• The case’s transition to federal prosecution spotlights a broader clash over control of DC policing and the influence of social media in shaping protest narratives.