In an early morning twist, an 18-year-old carjacker discovered that attempting a heist near Justice Sonia Sotomayor's home might just land you in the ER courtesy of a Deputy U.S. Marshal, not with a new ride.

The incident, which unfolded around 1:15 a.m. on July 5, saw Kentrell Flowers' carjacking attempt spectacularly foiled when he pointed a gun at a vehicle occupied by Deputy U.S. Marshals. Both marshals responded with their service weapons, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries to Flowers. Despite the neighborhood's notable resident, Justice Sotomayor, the botched heist seemed to be a random occurrence in a city that has seen roughly 260 carjacking incidents this year. Flowers, who was charged with armed carjacking and several other offenses, undoubtedly learned that some neighborhoods have their own brand of swift justice.

It was still dark when Kentrell Flowers, 18, mustered the audacity to attempt a carjacking near the residence of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Little did he know, he had picked a vehicle occupied by Deputy U.S. Marshals who were more than prepared to defend themselves.

The incident occurred at around 1:15 a.m. on Friday, July 5, 2024, disrupting what was likely a quiet night in a typically calm neighborhood. Flowers pointed a handgun at the Marshal’s vehicle, perhaps thinking his misadventure would end with a joyride. However, both Deputy U.S. Marshals on the scene had other plans – they fired their service weapons, striking Flowers and ending the carjacking attempt.

Fortunately for Flowers, the outcome wasn’t fatal. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received immediate medical attention from the very marshals who had just shot him. The quick switch from assailant to patient was probably not the plot twist he expected.

Following the incident, Flowers was arrested and faced a litany of charges. These included armed carjacking, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large-capacity ammunition-feeding device. The minivan he exited, a 2017 silver Toyota Sienna, had itself been confirmed stolen – ensuring that even his getaway ride had a criminal backstory.

Adding another layer of intrigue, officers recovered a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson from Flowers. His attempt at an 8-round show of force was undermined by the 13-round capacity of his magazine, illustrating the frequent mishaps in the do's and don’ts of criminal planning.

As for the Marshals, they are now under investigation, not for their acts of self-defense, but as standard protocol by the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division’s Force Investigations Team. This ensures all actions taken in the line of duty are thoroughly scrutinized, maintaining a delicate balance between authority and accountability. It's like walking a tightrope, except they're juggling the scales of justice.

Curiously, Justice Sotomayor herself had no role in the dramatic events that night. There was no indication she was home or even remotely in danger at any point during the carjacking attempt. The scene outside her residence could have easily been from any block in Washington, D.C., a city wrestling with an upheaval of carjacking incidents.

Interestingly, while there have been nearly 260 carjacking incidents in Washington, D.C. this year alone, reports indicate that these numbers represent a 46% decrease year-to-date. This statistical drop frames Flowers' ill-fated heist as an outlier rather than the norm – a misplaced shot in a city where crime, though diminished, makes occasional bold recurrences.

Post-incident, the silver minivan Flowers had used for his big escape fled the scene, leaving him to his fate. It’s somewhat poetic that his departure vehicle abandoned ship at the moment it needed to be the most reliable. The marshals, shifting roles from adversaries to first responders, didn’t miss their professional cue to provide Flowers with first aid.