U.S. Sheriff’s Deputy Shoots and Kills Attempted Carjacker Outside Supreme Court Justice’s HomeU.S. Sheriff’s Deputy Shoots and Kills Attempted Carjacker Outside Supreme Court Justice’s Home By Zach Schonfeld and The Hill July 9, 2024 Court and police records have revealed that a U.S. sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an attempted carjacker while on duty outside the home of Justice Sonia Sotomayor last week. Incident Details: The incident occurred at approximately 1 a.m. on July 5, when an 18-year-old suspect approached police in an unmarked car parked on Sotomayor’s block in Washington, D.C. The suspect allegedly attempted to carjack the police vehicle by pointing a gun at the driver’s window. In response, one of the marshals fired approximately four shots, striking the suspect in the mouth. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment and arrested. Marshals Involvement: The U.S. Marshals Service declined to confirm that the marshals involved were protecting Sotomayor, but the location of the incident matches her apartment block in northwest Washington. The marshals were part of the unit assigned to protect the residences of U.S. Supreme Court justices. Suspect Identity: Authorities identified the suspect as Kentrell Flowers, who has not yet commented on the incident. Flowers allegedly used a previously hijacked Toyota Sienna minivan. Context: The incident comes amid rising concerns about the protection of Supreme Court justices. In 2022, a man was charged with the attempted murder of Justice Brett Kavanaugh after allegedly attempting to assassinate him at his home. Reaction: The Metropolitan Police Department has arrested over 75 individuals for carjackings so far this year. The incident outside Sotomayor’s home also follows the carjacking of Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) outside his D.C. apartment earlier this year. Significance: The shooting of the attempted carjacker underscores the increased security concerns surrounding Supreme Court justices and the prevalence of carjackings in Washington, D.C. It remains unclear whether Flowers specifically targeted Sotomayor’s security detail.
Zach Schonfeld and The Hill
3 minutes ago
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor during the celebration of International Women’s Day at the Constitutional Court on March 4, 2024 in Madrid. (Eduardo Parra, Europa Press via Getty Images)
Court and police records show that a U.S. sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an attempted carjacker while on duty outside the home of Justice Sonia Sotomayor last week.
The documents show that shortly after 1 a.m. on July 5, an 18-year-old suspect pulled up next to police in an unmarked car parked on the Sotomayor block of Washington, D.C.
After the suspect allegedly attempted a carjacking by walking to the driver’s door and pointing a gun at the window, one of the marshals fired approximately four shots, hitting the suspect in the mouth, the documents state. They were taken to a hospital for treatment and arrested.
The U.S. Marshals Service declined to confirm that the marshals were protecting Sotomayor, but the location of the incident matches her apartment block in northwest Washington.
“The Deputy U.S. Marshals involved in the shooting were part of the unit protecting the residences of U.S. Supreme Court justices. Generally, the U.S. Marshals do not discuss specific details about protection,” Abigail Meyer, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service, said in a statement.
In a press release issued Friday, police described the incident as a “shooting involving the US Marshals,” but the Daily Mail was the first to link it to Sotomayor’s security team.
Authorities identified the suspect as Kentrell Flowers, who could not be reached for comment. The Toyota Sienna minivan that Flowers pulled up in also had been hijacked, authorities allege.
The Hill has reached out to the Supreme Court for comment.
The Metropolitan Police Department has made more than 75 arrests for carjackings so far this year, police records show. The incident outside Sotomayor’s home comes months after Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked while parking outside his D.C. apartment.
While authorities have not suggested that Flowers intentionally targeted Sotomayor’s security forces — the agents were in an unmarked government vehicle — protection of Supreme Court justices has become an increasing concern at the court and among lawmakers in recent years, particularly as tensions rose after the court struck down constitutional protections for abortion two years ago.
Shortly after the draft majority opinion leaked showing the court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, a man was charged with the attempted murder of Justice Brett Kavanaugh after allegedly showing up at the justice’s home with a firearm.
That year, Chief Justice John Roberts made judge safety the centerpiece of his year-end report.
