Photo: Alamy
Police in Fairfax County confirmed Thursday that officers responded to a swatting incident Wednesday night at the home of Amy Coney Barrett.
According to Fairfax County police, officers received a call reporting suspicious noises and possible gunshots at Barrett’s residence shortly after 9 p.m. Police radio traffic indicated dispatchers warned responding officers the call could be fraudulent because a “high priority resident” lived at the address.
The Fairfax County Police Department said officers coordinated immediately with Supreme Court police assigned to Barrett’s residence and quickly determined the report was fictitious.
“Officers immediately coordinated with Supreme Court Police personnel assigned to the residence and quickly determined that the report was fictitious,” the department said in a statement, adding that no additional police resources were deployed.
“I am glad Justice Barrett is okay. Swatting is a serious problem that MUST be addressed. These hoax calls waste valuable time, resources, and put our officers—and swatting victims—in danger. ANYONE who places these hoax swatting calls should be LOCKED UP for a long time,” Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted to X.
The incident is the latest security threat involving Barrett and her family. Earlier this year, Barrett disclosed that she and other judges nationwide had received unsolicited pizza deliveries that law enforcement viewed as intimidation tactics intended to instill fear or signal that personal addresses were known. Those incidents prompted an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.
Barrett’s family has also faced prior threats. Last year, her sister was the target of a bomb threat in South Carolina. Barrett was nominated by President Donald Trump in 2020.
Threats and intimidation campaigns directed at judges and public officials have increasingly drawn concern from federal and local law enforcement agencies in recent years.
