The victim, Thomas Allen, who lives in the West End of Washington, fled the scene, but police do not believe he was struck by a bullet.
City police Officer Joshua Rush said the suspect, whose name was not available at press time, was scheduled to be arraigned at midnight.
"The guy fired a shot and as far as we know, he didn't hit anything. But he's a convicted felon, and he's not supposed to have a firearm," Rush said.
The man will face several charges, including reckless endangerment.
A woman who witnessed the incident said she saw two men arguing with Allen and then watched one man go into his shed and return with a shotgun.
She said the man aimed the gun "toward (Allen's) head but angled up," and she saw Allen cover his face with his arms as the man fired the weapon.
"When I saw the gun, I said, 'I have to call 9-1-1,'" she said. "It's crazy. When you are bringing all this stuff around here, and there are kids who live here, it has to stop."