Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett was targeted in a swatting incident on Wednesday night after authorities received a false emergency report involving her Virginia home.
Fairfax County Police Department confirmed that officers responded to Barrett’s residence around 9:02 p.m. after receiving what was later determined to be a fake call.
“Yesterday evening at approximately 9:02 p.m., officers responded to a swatting call at the residence of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice in Fairfax County,” police said in a statement.
Authorities said the report came through the department’s non-emergency line and prompted officers to coordinate with Supreme Court security personnel already assigned to protect the justice.
After investigating the situation, officials determined there was no real threat.
“No additional police resources were utilized,” the department added.
The incident was first reported by journalist Andrew Leyden, who shared police dispatch audio indicating officers were initially responding to a report involving possible gunfire.
According to the audio, dispatchers informed officers that attempts to reach the caller again had failed.
“Unknown if it’s going to be a swatting situation,” the dispatcher said.
Swatting refers to making a false emergency report, often involving claims of violence, in an attempt to send armed law enforcement officers to someone’s home.
The practice has increasingly targeted politicians, judges, journalists, celebrities and other high-profile individuals in recent years.
Law enforcement officials have repeatedly warned that swatting can become extremely dangerous because responding officers may arrive believing they are entering an active threat situation.
No arrests have been announced in connection with the false report targeting Barrett.
The incident comes amid years of heightened security concerns involving members of the nation’s highest court.
Barrett and other conservative justices became the focus of intense demonstrations following the 2022 leak of the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade.
During that period, protesters gathered outside the homes of several justices, sparking debates over whether demonstrations outside private residences crossed a line.
Security fears escalated even further in June 2022 after Nicholas John Roske traveled from California to Maryland intending to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Authorities said Roske was armed when he arrived near Kavanaugh’s home before ultimately calling 911 on himself and surrendering.
The latest incident involving Barrett is expected to renew concerns about threats facing judges and public officials as political tensions surrounding the Supreme Court remain high, per the Conservative Brief.
Chief Justice John Roberts recently addressed growing hostility toward the judiciary, warning that many Americans misunderstand the role of the court.
“I think at a very basic level, people think we’re making policy decisions,” Roberts said.
“I think they view us as truly political actors, which I don’t think is an accurate understanding of what we do.”
Roberts argued that disagreements with court decisions should focus on legal reasoning rather than personal attacks against individual judges.
“We’re not simply part of the political process, and there’s a reason for that,” Roberts said.
While Wednesday’s incident was quickly determined to be false and no injuries were reported, it adds to growing concerns over the security risks facing Supreme Court justices and other government officials.
