Authorities in Washington, D.C., detained a man on Sunday after discovering numerous explosive devices outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, where a mass was occurring in honor of the Supreme Court.
Louis Gerri, a 41-year-old from Arizona and New Jersey, was apprehended during the church’s annual “Red Mass.” This occasion typically involves a prayer for the Supreme Court as a new term begins, though, interestingly, no judges attended the service this year due to security concerns.
As police were clearing the vicinity for the Supreme Court event, they encountered Gerri, who was situated inside a green tent on the church steps. He reportedly remarked, “I have explosives, so maybe I should get back and report it to the federation.”
Gerri allegedly informed members of the bomb squad that he was aware of the Red Mass and threatened to toss bombs onto the road as part of a demonstration, claiming, “I have over 100 of them.”
Law enforcement warned Gerri that failing to leave would result in forceful removal, to which he allegedly replied, “some of your people will die in one of these.”
At one point, Gerri handed officers a manifesto he had written, titled “Written Negotiations to Avoid the Destruction of Property by Explosives.” The police noted that the document expressed notable animosity towards the Catholic Church, Jewish individuals, the Supreme Court, and ICE facilities.
Adding to the chaos, Gerri reportedly began to ignite a lighter, suggesting a dire threat, saying, “We better get these people to leave or we’re going to kill people.” He then exited his tent but was soon subdued by three officers. During the struggle, he mentioned having a device in his pocket, which was confirmed to be a vial containing a yellow liquid, with a device taped to the exterior.
Following his arrest, officers found a “large cache of homemade destructive devices” in Gerri’s tent. According to an affidavit from a bomb disposal technician, more than 200 devices were uncovered, with some vials emitting a strong acetone smell. Certain liquids turned out to be nitromethane, and others appeared to be mixtures of various chemicals. The devices were noted to be fully operational.
During questioning at the detention center, Gerri reportedly admitted to creating the grenade and had plans for detonation using a modified bottle rocket, which he had fitted with aluminum foil and treated with thermite.
He faces multiple charges, including the manufacture, possession, or transport of explosives for unlawful purposes, as well as making threats and assaulting police officers. Gerri is currently held without bail.
Notably, last year’s Red Mass saw attendance from conservative justices like Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
Previously, in 2018, protests against Kavanaugh featured leftists holding signs that read ‘Stop Kavanaugh,’ highlighting the political tensions surrounding his confirmation.
Interestingly, Gerri’s arrest followed a lenient sentence handed down just two days earlier by a Biden-appointed judge for a transgender individual who attempted to assassinate Kavanaugh in 2022. The individual received only eight years, significantly less than the recommended 30 years to life.
Gerri had been living in a motel in Mesa, Arizona, for several years but is originally from Vineland, New Jersey. He had a past conviction for indecent assault in 2021 and served time in state prison from August 2022 until May 2023.
