Amy Coney Barrett’s home targeted in apparent swatting incident, police say
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Fairfax County police confirmed a false emergency call, or "swatting" incident, targeted Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's home on Wednesday night, prompting a police response that was quickly determined to be fictitious.
- The call, received just after 9 p.m. ET through the nonemergency line, reported gunshots at Barrett's residence, but officers found no evidence of an actual threat and no additional resources were deployed.
- Barrett, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, was on the bench the following morning, and the Supreme Court has not yet commented on the incident.
- Swatting involves hoax calls designed to provoke armed law enforcement responses, posing potential danger to targets; Barrett and other justices have previously faced threats, including bomb threats and assassination attempts.
- Federal judges nationwide have experienced harassment related to rulings against Trump, with intimidation tactics such as anonymous pizza deliveries becoming increasingly common.