US Marshal Shoots Carjacking Suspect Outside Justice Sotomayor's House
- An 18-year-old carjacking suspect was shot and wounded by a US marshal outside Justice Sonia Sotomayor's house.
- The incident involved the suspect pointing a gun at the marshal, leading to the shooting.
- The marshals were reportedly assigned to protect Justice Sotomayor's residence.
On July 5, 2024, a deputy U.S. Marshal shot and wounded an 18-year-old man who attempted an armed carjacking outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in Washington, DC. The incident, reported by NBC News' Erin McLaughlin, highlighted the ongoing violence in the Democrat-controlled city. The suspect, identified as Kentrell Flowers, allegedly pointed a gun at the marshal guarding Sotomayor's home, prompting the marshal to fire several shots. Flowers was arrested and treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital. The attempted carjacking took place in northwest DC, near Sotomayor's residence, raising concerns about public safety in the area. A heat map produced by the police department revealed that most carjackings occur in the southeast part of the city and along the H Street corridor, close to the Capitol Building. While the motive behind the carjacking and the subsequent shooting remains unclear, the incident underscores the prevalence of violent crime in the nation's capital. Violent crime, including homicides, has been on the rise in Washington, DC, with data from the Metropolitan Police Department showing an increase from 198 homicides in 2004 to 274 in the previous year. Despite this, total violent crimes reported are currently 30% lower than at the same point in 2023. Justice Sotomayor, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2009 by former President Barack Obama, has been a vocal advocate for women's rights and diversity. She has dissented in several key court rulings, including those related to Roe v. Wade, affirmative action, Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy settlement, and the Securities and Exchange Commission's administrative law practice. As investigations into the carjacking incident continue, concerns about public safety and the prevalence of violent crime in Washington, DC persist. The shooting outside Justice Sotomayor's home serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by law enforcement officials in maintaining security in the nation's capital.