A suspected carjacking attempt outside the residence of a Supreme Court Justice in Washington, D.C. ended in gunfire early on July 5, according to officials from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. when 18-year-old Kentrell Flowers allegedly approached a vehicle occupied by a deputy U.S. Marshal and brandished a firearm.
In response, the Marshal drew and discharged his weapon four times, striking Flowers in the mouth.
Flowers was subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment and taken into custody. The severity of his injuries has not been disclosed.
Abigail Meyer, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service, confirmed that the deputies involved in the shooting were part of the unit responsible for protecting the residences of U.S. Supreme Court justices. However, citing security protocols, Meyer declined to provide specifics about the protective detail.
While the incident took place near Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s home, authorities have not said if Flowers was intentionally targeting the Justice or her security detail.
This event comes just over a year after another security incident involving a Supreme Court Justice. In June 2023, 26-year-old Nicholas John Roske was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home and charged with attempted murder.
Roske allegedly told officials he intended to kill the conservative Justice following the leak of a draft majority opinion on Roe v. Wade.
The U.S. Marshals Service continues to investigate the July 5 incident.
As of now, no further details about Flowers’ motives or potential charges have been released.