United States of America v. Stephen Rattigan, a/k/a Julius James

Washington, D.C. criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with February 2024 Shooting of Metropolitan Police Department Officers

Indictment Returned for February 2024 Shooting of Metropolitan Police Department Officers

Stephen Rattigan, also known as Julius James, 49, of Washington, D.C., was indicted April 2, 2025, on assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges stemming from the February 14, 2024, shooting of Metropolitan Police Department Officers, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD”).



Rattigan was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of six counts of 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, fifteen counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of endangerment with a firearm, five counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, four counts of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, and one count of cruelty to animals.



Rattigan is scheduled to be arraigned on April 4, 2025, at a hearing before the Honorable Michael Ryan. Rattigan faces a mandatory minimum of five years of incarceration 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. Rattigan faces a mandatory minimum of one year for each firearm in his possession.



According to the government's evidence, at about 7:30 a.m., on February 14, 2024, members of MPD went to 5032 Hanna Place SE in Washington, D.C. to arrest Rattigan, then known as Julius James. MPD officers, in full uniform, repeatedly announced that they were with MPD and that they were at the residence to arrest Rattigan. After several minutes of no response, MPD officers observed Rattigan inside the house, and he began speaking to the officers. Despite attempting to have Rattigan open the door, MPD officers were forced to use tools to force open the front door. While six members of MPD were outside the front door, Rattigan fired several shots through the front door, striking three of the officers. An hours-long standoff then ensued, with Rattigan communicating with MPD negotiators for several hours. At one point during the standoff, Rattigan, upset that he wasn't getting cigarettes quickly enough, fired three additional rounds through the front door.



After several hours, Rattigan surrendered to MPD officers, and he was arrested. After Rattigan was arrested, MPD executed a court-authorized search warrant inside the home. Inside, Rattigan had thirty-one dogs, three handguns, two AR-style rifles, two full drum magazines, and additional large-capacity magazines.



This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Goldstein of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.