US Marshals Open Fire Outside Supreme Court Justice's Home

Two U.S. Marshals shot at an armed carjacking suspect near U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s residence last week, according to authorities.

The incident occurred close to Justice Sotomayor's home in Northwest Washington, D.C. The suspect was hospitalized following the confrontation, reported The Hill.

During the carjacking attempt, the suspect approached the driver’s side door and pointed a handgun at the window. A marshal responded by firing approximately four rounds, hitting the suspect in the mouth. The suspect was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment and has since been apprehended.

While the marshals' specific assignment to protect Justice Sotomayor is not confirmed, the location of the incident aligns with her apartment block.

Abigail Meyer, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service, stated, “The Deputy U.S. Marshals involved in the shooting incident were part of the unit protecting the residences of U.S. Supreme Court justices. As a general practice, the U.S. Marshals don’t discuss specifics of protective details.”

In a news release on Friday, police described the event as a “U.S. Marshals-involved shooting.” However, it was the Daily Mail that initially linked the security team involved to Justice Sotomayor’s protection.

The suspect, Kentrell Flowers, was not available for comment. Authorities also indicated that the Toyota Sienna minivan Flowers used during the incident had been stolen.

The Metropolitan Police Department has made over 75 carjacking arrests this year. The Hill noted similarities between this incident and a previous one involving Representative Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who was carjacked near his apartment in Washington, D.C.

Although there is no indication that Flowers specifically targeted Justice Sotomayor's security detail, the incident has intensified concerns about the safety of Supreme Court justices. This issue has gained prominence, especially after the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.

In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court granted presidents full immunity for their official actions while allowing for prosecution for unofficial actions. This decision arose from a case involving former President Donald Trump, who argued that his prosecution in Washington for actions related to the January 6 Capitol riot was authorized.

Following the ruling, Trump’s legal team filed a motion to temporarily halt the prosecution of his classified documents case. Bloomberg reported that the motion, submitted on Friday, requests U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to set a schedule for debating the implications of the Supreme Court ruling.

The proposed schedule would allow arguments in September, with most of the lawsuit paused until the judge rules on immunity and a constitutional challenge to Special Counsel Jack Smith's appointment.

“Resolution of these threshold questions is necessary to minimize the adverse consequences to the institution of the Presidency arising from this unconstitutional investigation and prosecution,” the attorneys stated.