A Washington D.C., man is facing a federal felony charge after allegedly throwing a sandwich at a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a tense law enforcement sweep ordered by former President Donald Trump earlier this month, officials confirmed.
According to a criminal complaint, Sean Charles Dunn confronted Border Patrol Agent Gregory Lairmore around 11 p.m. on Aug. 10 as hundreds of federal officers patrolled the city under Trump’s intensified anti-crime initiative. The increased presence came after Trump’s Aug. 9 directive to deploy about 450 federal agents to the capital in response to what he called a “lawless crisis” in the city.
Witnesses and video footage reviewed by authorities show Dunn wearing a pink shirt and shorts approaching Lairmore near a Subway sandwich shop, shouting, “Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” The complaint alleges Dunn also used profanity and called officers “fascists” before hurling a sub-style sandwich at the agent’s chest.
The footage, which has circulated widely on social media, captures Dunn running away immediately after the throw, with officers giving chase. Photos from the scene indicate the confrontation occurred on a busy street corner under the watch of multiple federal agents.
Dunn was arrested and charged with one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees of the United States, a felony offense. The court filing does not specify whether Dunn has obtained legal counsel or entered a plea.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro condemned the act in strong terms during a press briefing.
“He thought it was funny,” Pirro said. “Well, he doesn’t think it’s funny today because we charged him with a felony assault on a police officer. And we’re going to back the police to the hilt. So stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else.”
The incident unfolded during one of the most visible federal crackdowns on the city in recent memory. Trump’s initiative included not only the deployment of federal law enforcement officers but, the following day, the announcement of National Guard mobilization and a controversial federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department. Trump also outlined plans to forcibly remove homeless encampments from public spaces, framing the moves as a “rescue mission” for the capital.
“I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse,” Trump said during an Aug. 11 press conference.
City leaders have disputed Trump’s justification for the sweeping measures. According to Metropolitan Police Department data, violent crime in Washington, D.C., dropped 35% in 2024, reaching its lowest level in more than three decades. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia echoed those figures in a recent statement, calling the city’s crime rate “the lowest in over 30 years.”
Critics argue that the federal response has more to do with political posturing than public safety, warning that the increased presence of armed officers could heighten tensions rather than reduce violence. Civil rights groups have also raised concerns about the criminalization of minor offenses and the potential chilling effect on public demonstrations.
Dunn remains in federal custody pending further court proceedings. If convicted, he could face significant prison time for the sandwich-throwing incident an episode that has since become a flashpoint in debates over federal overreach, public protest, and the line between peaceful dissent and criminal conduct.