04-04-2025
Man indicted for shooting three DC police officers in 2024, authorities say
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A man accused of shooting Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers in 2024 was indicted Wednesday, according to the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Columbia.
Stephen Rattigan, also known as Julius James, 49, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and faces the following charges:
Assault with intent to kill while armed
Six counts of assault on a police officer while armed
Three counts of assault with significant bodily injury while armed
15 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence
Endangerment with a firearm
Five counts of unlawful possession of a firearm
Four counts of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device
Cruelty to animals.
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Court documents say on the morning of Feb. 14, 2024, six officers attempted to arrest Rattigan on animal cruelty charges in the 5000 block of Hanna Place SE.
Police say the officers repeatedly announced they were there to arrest him, but he did not answer. Officers saw Rattigan inside the home and began speaking to him, requesting that he open the door.
Court documents allege Rattigan did not comply, so officers used tools to enter the home.
Rattigan then began firing several shots through the front door, striking three officers and prompting an hours-long standoff with MPD negotiators.
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Court documents claim that at one point during the standoff, Rattigan was upset that he wasn't getting cigarettes fast enough, so he fired an additional three shots through the front door.
After several hours, Rattigan surrendered and was arrested.
According to court documents, a search warrant was executed for the home where 31 dogs, three handguns, two AR-style rifles, two full drum magazines, and additional large-capacity magazines were found.
The USAO stated Rattigan faces a mandatory minimum of five years for each count of assault with intent to kill while armed, each count of assault on a police officer while armed and each count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed.
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