Barricade suspect accused of shooting 3 DC police officers is Jamaican citizen in U.S. illegally

WASHINGTON - The man accused of shooting three D.C. police officers leading to an hours-long standoff is in the U.S. illegally, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE says the suspect, Stephen Claude Rattigan is "an unlawfully present 48-year-old citizen of Jamaica."  

Rattigan reportedly has a criminal history that dates back to 1995, including previous convictions for larceny and drug charges. ICE says he was also deported to Jamaica in 2001 and came back into the U.S. illegally. 

Rattigan was arrested on the evening of Feb. 14 hours after police attempted to serve a warrant at his home for alleged animal cruelty. 

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The warrant obtained by FOX 5 states that a concerned citizen called the Washington Humane Society in early January over concerns of dogs being neglected at his home at 5032 Hanna Place, SE.

When officers arrived, Rattigan fired several shots through his front door, hitting three officers. He then barricaded himself inside and refused to come out for 12 hours. 

The standoff ended with the peaceful arrest of Rattigan who faces three counts of assault on a police officer, cruelty to animals, and aggravated assault - knowingly grave risk.  

On February 15, 2024, ERO Washington, D.C. filed an immigration detainer requesting to have Rattigan transferred to ERO custody from the DC Department of Corrections in Washington, D.C. once his time is served.