A potential assassination attempt on Supreme Court justices was thwarted on Sunday after police detained a man carrying over 200 explosives outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington, D.C. The incident occurred ahead of the annual Red Mass ceremony, an event traditionally attended by Supreme Court justices to mark the start of the new term.

41-year-old Louis Gehri was arrested after informing officers he possessed explosives and threatened to use them. Authorities discovered a tent filled with containers of chemicals for explosive devices, molotov cocktails, and modified bottle rockets, along with a manifesto expressing hatred toward the Catholic Church, Jews, Supreme Court justices, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Court records revealed Gehri had vials of nitromethane, a component used in explosives, and described plans to use rubber bands as fuses for grenades. He also carried devices deemed “fully functional” by investigators, including molotov cocktails and aluminum-foiled bottle rockets. Gehri reportedly told officers, “You might want to stay back and call the federales, I have explosives,” before later threatening to detonate a device near a tree.

Gehri was charged with multiple offenses, including unlawful possession of explosives, threats against officials, assault on police, and manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. He had a prior criminal record, including a 2021 conviction for indecent exposure in Arizona.

This year’s Red Mass saw no Supreme Court justices attend due to heightened security concerns, following the incident. Gehri remains jailed without bond as authorities investigate his motives.