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A gunman accused of shooting three D.C. police officers who were trying to serve him a warrant on animal cruelty charges faced eviction after his dogs were aggressive toward a 2-year-old, according to his landlord’s account in court documents.
Stephen Claude Rattigan, 48, was arrested after a 13-hour standoff that began when police say he shot at officers at his home in the 5000 block of Hanna Place SE early Wednesday. Police initially gave a different name for the suspect but on Thursday morning said that Rattigan had provided a fake name.
The officers are expected to recover.
In court documents, the suspect’s landlord claimed that two of his dogs, both described as pit bulls, were aggressive toward the toddler and their guardian in spring 2023.
The occupant’s landlord was trying to evict him for failing to remove dogs from his home, court documents show.
About 30 dogs were removed from the home after he was arrested on Wednesday evening. Three Humane Rescue Alliance vans were used to transport them.
The shooting suspect is charged with cruelty to animals. Charges for the officers’ shooting are pending.
Shooting shocks Southeast DC community
A Humane Rescue Alliance employee was with police when officers tried to serve the warrant but was not hurt, the group said. It’s unclear if anyone else was injured.
The three officers who were shot are expected to survive, D.C. police said. One officer was shot in the hand. Another was shot in the foot or leg, Smith said. One officer was struck twice, but his ballistic gear stopped the bullets, D.C. Police Union Chairman Greggory Pemberton said.
The officers were “in good spirits” and recovering from their injuries, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith said Wednesday afternoon.
Investigators were seen walking in and out of the house on Thursday morning. Bullet holes could be seen in the front door, and yellow police tape was stretched across Hanna Street.
The gunfire upended daily life in the neighborhood near the border with Maryland. A swarm of police vehicles shut down multiple city blocks.
“This is a magnitude of police cars I’ve never seen in my life,” one mother said.
Young children were shuttled into school by police officers and multiple schools were put on lockdown as the suspect fired at law enforcement from time to time while he was barricaded inside his home.
“I’m outraged because my son goes right here to this school. I was coming to take him to school and wasn’t able to get through and I’m just like … I’m shocked. I’m really shocked,” another mother said.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
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