Armed Suspect Arrested at DC Church During Red Mass

Washington, D.C., police arrested a man carrying more than 200 explosive devices outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on October 5, during the annual “Red Mass” held in honor of the Supreme Court’s new term. The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Louis Geri of Arizona and New Jersey, was found occupying a green tent on the church steps and threatened officers with mass casualties.

According to an affidavit obtained by The Daily Wire, Geri told police to “call the federales” and warned he had “a hundred plus” bombs. He handed officers a manifesto titled Written Negotiations for the Avoidance of Destruction of Property via Detonation of Explosives, which revealed animosity toward Catholics, Jews, the Supreme Court, and ICE facilities.

Cache of Explosives and Threats

Bomb squad officers later discovered a large cache of homemade grenades and Molotov cocktails inside Geri’s tent. The affidavit said the devices were made from Nitro Methane and Thermite, appeared fully functional, and were designed for remote detonation. In a jailhouse interview, Geri admitted he had prepared them as grenades and long-range explosives.

He was charged with multiple counts, including:

• Possession of a Weapon of Mass Destruction (Hate Crime)

• Manufacture and Possession of Explosives

• Assault on Police Officers

• Unlawful Entry and Threats of Violence

Geri is currently being held without bond.

Heightened Security Concerns for Justices

This year, no Supreme Court justices attended the Red Mass, reportedly due to heightened security concerns. In prior years, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett were in attendance.

The attempted attack comes just two days after Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, handed down a controversial lenient sentence of eight years to Nicholas Roske, who attempted to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022. Federal prosecutors had sought 30 years-to-life. The timing has fueled calls, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to impeach Judge Boardman for undermining deterrence against threats to the Court.

Pattern of Left-Wing Domestic Terrorism

The incident reflects what authorities describe as a pattern of left-wing domestic terrorism targeting the judiciary and religious institutions. In 2018, demonstrators disrupted the same Red Mass with signs attacking Justice Kavanaugh. Geri’s manifesto echoes broader political hostility toward both the Supreme Court’s conservative wing and the Catholic Church, raising alarms over the escalating risk of politically motivated violence.

Background on Suspect

Public records show Geri had lived in Vineland, New Jersey, and later in a motel in Mesa, Arizona. He had a prior conviction for indecent exposure and served time in Arizona state prison before being released in May 2023.

The arrest underscores the vulnerability of both churches and judicial figures, reinforcing why security concerns have now reached unprecedented levels.