Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett was the target of a “swatting” incident at her Virginia home on Wednesday evening, according to police. Swatting is a dangerous prank where someone makes a false emergency call to provoke a heavy law enforcement response at another person’s residence.
Police Respond to Swatting Call at Barrett’s Home
Fairfax County Police confirmed that officers responded around 9:02 p.m. after receiving a call through the department’s non-emergency line. Upon arrival, they met with Justice Barrett’s security detail, who verified that the report was false. No additional police resources were needed once the situation was confirmed as a hoax.
A police spokesperson said, “Officers immediately coordinated with Supreme Court Police personnel assigned to the residence and quickly determined that the report was fictitious.”
What is Swatting?
Swatting involves calling in a false report of a serious crime, such as a murder, hostage situation, bomb threat, or active shooter, to trigger an emergency response at someone’s home. These incidents are dangerous because law enforcement often responds with heavy resources, putting innocent people at risk.
An audio recording shared online captured police responding to a report of “sounds of gunshots” at a high-security residence. The recording referred to the homeowner as a “high-priority resident” with 24-hour protection.
Barrett Continues Her Work Unaffected
Justice Barrett appeared on the Supreme Court bench Thursday morning and read summaries of two opinions she authored. She made no reference to the swatting incident during her remarks.
Threats Against Supreme Court Justices
Threats and protests against Supreme Court justices, particularly conservatives, have increased in recent years. After the 2022 leak of the Dobbs draft opinion, which indicated the court would overturn Roe v. Wade, protests occurred outside the homes of Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and other conservative justices.
In June 2022, California resident Nicholas John Roske was arrested near Kavanaugh’s home while carrying a gun, knife, and pepper spray. He was charged with attempted murder and later sentenced to eight years in prison.
Lawmakers Condemn the Swatting Incident
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah called the act “an attempt to get an innocent person killed—in this case, a sitting Supreme Court Justice.” He urged that the offender be held accountable with a lengthy prison sentence.
Rising Threats Against Conservative Figures
Attacks on conservative leaders have been on the rise in recent years. In 2024, there were two public assassination attempts against President Donald Trump, including one in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear. More recently, a California Army veteran known for his “Trump House” display was beaten to death outside his residence.
