– Man accused of shooting D.C. officers and abusing dogs at home
– Accused individual in D.C. officers’ shooting case allegedly abused dogs at residence.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Man Accused of Mistreating Pit Bulls Arrested after Shooting Three D.C. Police Officers

A man was arrested in connection with a shooting incident that left three D.C. police officers wounded, leading to a nearly 13-hour armed standoff at his residence. According to court documents made public on Thursday, the man was accused of mistreating pit bulls after neighbors complained about the smell of urine and feces coming from his property.

In a separate filing, the landlord of the residence on Hanna Place in Southeast Washington sought to evict the man, alleging that two of his pit bulls had acted aggressively towards a 2-year-old child and her guardian. Officers had initially gone to his home to serve an arrest warrant for animal cruelty when he fired shots through the door.

The man surrendered on Wednesday night and is expected to appear in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday afternoon, facing charges related to the shooting and animal cruelty. Fortunately, the three wounded officers were released from the hospital on Thursday morning. One officer was struck in the calf, another in the ankle, and the third in a protective vest.

The suspect was initially identified as Julius James, 46, but it was later revealed that his real name is Stephen Claude Rattigan, 48. He is listed as James in some court documents while both names are used in others. His attorney declined to comment on the case.

The lengthy standoff caused the closure of the residential street in the Marshall Heights neighborhood, resulting in lockdowns and early dismissals at nearby schools. During the standoff, police were observed leading dogs away on leashes. The Humane Rescue Alliance, which investigated the dog complaints that led to the standoff, removed a total of 31 dogs (20 adults and 11 puppies) from the suspect’s single-family home.

The arrest warrant filed by D.C. police on behalf of the rescue alliance revealed that neighbors had filed complaints about the dogs living in unsanitary conditions. They reported that the dogs were frequently let loose off their leashes, causing safety concerns in the neighborhood.

Investigators from the rescue alliance visited the suspect’s home multiple times in January. During one visit, they encountered Rattigan in his backyard with 10 dogs, and more dogs were heard inside the house. One resident captured a video from a security camera, showing a dog approaching a child and an adult in an excited and friendly manner. However, the situation escalated when Rattigan punched the dog in the face six times, causing it to yelp with each blow.

On January 17, the landlord filed a civil petition in court to either evict Rattigan or have the dogs removed. The petition stated that the tenant’s pit bulls had attacked a 2-year-old child and her guardian. However, attempts to reach the landlord for comment were unsuccessful.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible pet ownership and the need to address complaints about animal mistreatment promptly. The authorities and organizations like the Humane Rescue Alliance play a crucial role in ensuring the welfare and safety of animals in our communities.

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– “Man accused in shooting of D.C. officers abusive treatment of dogs at home”
– “Authorities say man in shooting of D.C. officers engaged in animal abuse at home”.