Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/23pdf/22-915_8o6b.pdf
Page Number: 6

2 

UNITED STATES v. RAHIMI 

Opinion of the Court 

senger seat.  C. M. took advantage of the opportunity to es-
cape.  Rahimi  fired  as  she  fled,  although  it  is  unclear 
whether  he  was  aiming  at  C. M.  or  the  witness.  Rahimi 
later called C. M. and warned that he would shoot her if she 
reported the incident.  Ibid. 

Undeterred by this threat, C. M. went to court to seek a
restraining order.  In the affidavit accompanying her appli-
cation, C. M. recounted the parking lot incident as well as 
other assaults.  She also detailed how Rahimi’s conduct had 
endangered A. R.  Although Rahimi had an opportunity to 
contest C. M.’s testimony, he did not do so.  On February 5,
2020, a state court in Tarrant County, Texas, issued a re-
straining order against him.  The order, entered with the 
consent of both parties, included a finding that Rahimi had 
committed “family violence.”  App. 2.  It also found that this 
violence was “likely to occur again” and that Rahimi posed 
“a credible threat” to the “physical safety” of C. M. or A. R. 
Id., at 2–3.  Based on these findings, the order prohibited 
Rahimi from threatening C. M. or her family for two years
or  contacting  C. M.  during  that  period  except  to  discuss 
A. R.  Id., at 3–7.  It also suspended Rahimi’s gun license 
for  two  years.    Id.,  at  5–6.    If  Rahimi  was  imprisoned  or 
confined when the order was set to expire, the order would
instead terminate either one or two years after his release
date, depending on the length of his imprisonment.  Id., at 
6–7. 

In May, however, Rahimi violated the order by approach-
ing  C. M.’s  home  at  night.    He  also  began  contacting  her 
through several social media accounts. 

In November, Rahimi threatened a different woman with 
a gun, resulting in a charge for aggravated assault with a 
deadly  weapon.    And  while  Rahimi  was  under  arrest  for 
that assault, the Texas police identified him as the suspect 
in a spate of at least five additional shootings.

The first, which occurred in December 2020, arose from 
Rahimi’s dealing in illegal drugs.  After one of his customers