Man Arrested with Explosives Ahead of Supreme Court Term Kickoff in DC

A man was arrested and charged on Sunday with possession of explosives outside a Washington, DC, church, just hours before an annual Mass marking the start of the Supreme Court term was scheduled to begin. The incident prompted a multi-agency investigation as the nation’s highest court prepares to commence its new term on Monday.

Police identified the suspect as Louis Geri, 41, of Vineland, New Jersey. He faces preliminary charges including unlawful entry, threats to kidnap or injure a person, and possession of a Molotov cocktail. Officers patrolling the area for the ‘Red Mass’ event, held annually at St. Matthew’s Cathedral to bless those in the justice system, approached Geri after he set up a tent on the cathedral steps. He was arrested after refusing to leave the premises, having previously been barred.

Explosives and arson investigation teams searched Geri’s belongings, discovering vials of liquid and what appeared to be fireworks. While no Supreme Court justices were reported to be in attendance at Sunday’s Mass, the event is traditionally tied to the start of the court’s term. The DC Metropolitan Police Department is collaborating with federal partners, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, on the ongoing investigation.

The FBI has assured the public there is no broader threat. During the Red Mass, Cardinal Robert McElroy spoke about the need to restore faith in institutions and cautioned against confrontational political rhetoric, referencing recent acts of violence. This incident occurs days after the individual who attempted to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022 was sentenced to over eight years in prison.

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