DC standoff: Wounded officers released from hospital; suspect expected to face more charges
WASHINGTON - The three police officers who were wounded by gunfire in a shooting that touched off an hours-long standoff outside a home in D.C. have been released from the hospital.
The officers were shot on Wednesday morning in the 5000 block of Hanna Place in southeast Washington as they attempted to arrest a man on an animal cruelty warrant.
According to the Humane Rescue Alliance, the warrant had been obtained after Humane Law Enforcement received a report about the suspect striking and punching a dog.
Police say the suspect, who first gave the name Julius James but has since been identified as 48-year-old Stephen Michael Rattigan, refused to leave the home when they tried to make contact and opened fire on the officers as they tried to get inside.
The standoff ended with the arrest of Rattigan who faces charges of suspicion of cruelty to animals. Additional charges against him related to the shooting of the officers are expected.
READ MORE: WATCH: Suspect accused of shooting 3 DC police officers surrenders, 31 dogs removed from home
DC standoff: Chief Pamela Smith speaks as officers are released from hospital
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith spoke with FOX 5 outside of MedStar Washington Hospital Center in D.C. where three officers wounded by gunfire in a shooting that touched off a standoff were released from the hospital Thursday.
A crowd of law enforcement officers awaited the injured as they left MedStar Washington Hospital Center around 10:30 a.m. Thursday in a show of support. Two of the injured officers walked from the hospital while the third left in a wheelchair. The names of the officers have not been released at this time.
Gregg Pemberton, chairman of the Washington, D.C., police union, told FOX 5 Wednesday that one of the officers was struck by gunfire twice, but the rounds were stopped by a bulletproof vest. The other two officers were struck in their lower legs. A fourth officer suffered hand injuries at the scene not related to the gunfire and was released Wednesday.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith was there when the officers were released. "I’m very, very grateful and thankful to God that these injuries that occurred yesterday were not as serious as we assumed they were initially when the incident occurred," she said. "This is not an easy job. We signed up for it. We know what the circumstances and the risks are with regards to law enforcement and being police officers in our communities. But it’s a great day when we can see our officers walking out of the hospital in good spirits."
READ MORE: 3 DC officers shot in Southeast: Suspect arrested after intense barricade situation
Roads were closed, schools were locked down and police warned people to stay far from the area as the shooting unfolded Wednesday.
The shooting came as the District of Columbia struggles with a sharp increase in violent crime, which went up 39% in 2023. It was largely fueled by a 35% rise in homicides and growth in carjackings, which nearly doubled.
Smith has pushed lawmakers to pass legislation that would strengthen penalties for gun offenses in the nation’s capital.
The violence continued elsewhere in the District on Wednesday. Three dead bodies were found in a home in northeast Washington after officers were called to a Jay Street residence for a welfare check.
At least one person was killed in a shooting at a Chinese food carryout restaurant in northeast Washington.
Both of those incidents remain under investigation.
Video shows Southeast man accused of shooting 3 officers surrendering
Julius James, the man accused of shooting three D.C. police officers Wednesday morning in Southeast, surrendered after an hours-long standoff. It was a stressful and scary day for people who lived near the suspect. FOX 5's Shomari Stone has the story.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story has been updated to reflect the suspect's correct name, Stephen Michael Rattigan.