A U.S. marshal, while on duty outside Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s residence, fired shots in an attempted carjacking last week, court and police records show.
Documents indicate that an 18-year-old suspect pulled up alongside parked deputies in an unmarked car on Sotomayor’s block in Washington, D.C. shortly after 1 a.m. on July 5.
After the suspect allegedly attempted to steal the car by approaching the driver’s door and pointing a firearm at the window, one of the officers fired approximately four shots, striking the suspect in the mouth, documents show. They were transported to the hospital for treatment and placed under arrest.
The US Marshals Service declined to confirm that marshals were protecting Sotomayor, but the location of the incident corresponds to her residential block in northwest Washington.
“The U.S. Deputy Marshals involved in the shooting were part of the unit that protected the homes of U.S. Supreme Court justices. As a general practice, the US Marshals do not discuss specific details of protection,” US Marshals Service spokeswoman Abigail Meyer said in a statement.
In a press release issued Friday, police described the incident as “a shooting involving U.S. law enforcement officers,” but the Daily Mail was the first to connect him to Sotomayor’s protection team.
Authorities identified the suspect as Kentrell Flowers, who could not be reached for comment. The Toyota Sienna minivan that Flowers stopped in was also stolen, authorities allege.
The Hill has reached out to the Supreme Court for comment.
The Metropolitan Police Department has made more than 75 carjacking arrests this year so far, police data shows. The incident outside Sotomayor’s residence comes months after Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was kidnapped while parking in front of his D.C. apartment
While authorities have not suggested that Flowers intentionally targeted Sotomayor’s security team — the marshals were in an unmarked government vehicle — protections for Supreme Court justices have become a growing concern on the court and among lawmakers in recent years. especially as tensions rose when the court nullified the Constitution. abortion protections two years ago.
Shortly after the majority’s draft opinion was leaked showing that the court was about to overturn Roe v. Wade. Wade, a man has been charged with the attempted murder of Judge Brett Kavanaugh after he allegedly showed up near the judge’s home with a firearm.
Chief Justice John Roberts that year made the safety of judges the focus of your year-end report.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
