We have new details about a 2011 domestic dispute between Democratic congressional candidate Harry Dunn and his then-wife.
Dunn, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer who gained national attention following his testimony in the Jan. 6 investigation, allegedly pointed a gun at Danyell Dunn and shoved her against a wall, according to a report from a Montgomery County Police officer who investigated the incident.
No criminal charges were ever filed against Dunn, and the Capitol Police dismissed the domestic abuse allegations. The Capitol Police suspended Dunn for three days after the incident, but only because Dunn was found to have improperly stored his department-issued gun.
When we first reported on the allegations in March, Dunn and his ex-wife downplayed the incident. “At no point were we physically violent toward each other or our family, and we never made our home feel unsafe,” Harry and Danyell Dunn said in a joint statement.
But an investigative narrative written by a corporal with the Montgomery County Police Department Domestic Violence Unit doesn’t align with that claim. Punchbowl News obtained this report.
During a November 2011 dispute sparked by Dunn’s displeasure with his stepson, Dunn’s then-wife told police that Dunn “proceeded to ‘smash’ her up against the wall.” Danyell told officers that Dunn “pushed and pulled her arms” in an attempt to confront his stepson.
In the middle of the confrontation — after Dunn’s then-wife wiggled a paring knife in his direction — Dunn went to a spare bedroom to retrieve his service weapon and rifle. Dunn carried his weapons past his then-wife in the kitchen and took them to the basement.
According to the police, Danyell said she “observed Harry as he aimed the handgun in the direction of her face.” Danyell added she “flinched and demanded he get the gun out of her face.” She recounted that Dunn said something to the effect of “I can’t shoot you, I don’t have the clip.”
The official Capitol Police investigative report concludes that “MCPD investigators did not have enough evidence to show that Dunn pointed his gun at his wife during the argument.”
“However, the fact remains that Dunn handled his firearm in such a way as to cause his wife to feel intimidated and to cause his wife to allege to the MCPD that Dunn had pointed his gun at her,” the report continued.
Dunn’s team referred us back to the statements they provided in March from Dunn, his ex-wife and his ex-wife’s sister. In those statements, all involved said Dunn was never violent toward Danyell. And Dunn’s former sister-in-law described Dunn as “a peaceful and humble person” and “one of the most responsible people I know.”
Dunn is one of the frontrunners in the crowded May 14 primary to succeed retiring Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) in the Howard County-area seat. Dunn has raised more than $4 million and has been endorsed by top Democrats including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) and Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.).
Important context: During Harry and Danyell Dunn’s divorce proceedings in 2019, a Montgomery County Judge awarded Harry Dunn sole legal custody of their child. In the proceedings, the judge described Dunn as a good influence on their child and didn’t find any evidence to believe he had been abusive or neglectful.
— Max Cohen
