Defendant Charged with Shooting Police and Animal Cruelty Ruled Mentally Incompetent

By Mia Febles [former] , Audrey Staudacher [former] - April 11, 2024
Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting |

On April 11, before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffian, a defendant accused of wounding police officers in a stand off was found mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Stephen Rattigan, 48, also known as James Julius, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, cruelty to animals, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of assault on a police officer while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting of three Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers on Feb. 14 on the 5000 block of Hanna Place, SE. A fourth officer received unrelated injuries.

According to court documents, police officers arrived at Rattigan’s home to serve an arrest warrant for animal cruelty. The suspect reportedly had 31 dogs on the premises.

After officers partially broke open the front door, Rattigan allegedly fired multiple gunshots through the doorway. Three officers reported gunshot injuries. Rattigan then barricaded himself inside the house and continued to fire. Eventually, Rattigan allegedly called a different MPD officer he knew , who convinced Rattigan to surrender.

In the hearing, parties discussed the results of Rattigan’s mental health evaluation from the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), which recommended that Rattigan receive treatment at DC’s St. Elizabeth’s Hospital which houses defendants with behavioral issues. Judge Raffinan agreed with the report and ruled that Rattigan was incompetent to stand trial. 

However, both parties expressed concern over the lack of information within the report.

“We don’t believe this report, frankly, is thorough enough,” said the prosecution, referring to it as “bare-bones,” in terms of recommendations for Rattigan’s mental restoration. 

Judge Raffinan agreed with the parties, and ordered another full mental health evaluation for Rattigan after his transfer to St. Elizabeth’s.

Parties are slated to reconvene May 15 for a remote hearing.