Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, responded to a swatting call at the residence of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Wednesday evening, authorities confirmed Thursday. Officers received a report through the department's non-emergency line and coordinated with Supreme Court Police assigned to protect the justice before determining the threat was fictitious.
A police spokesperson told Fox News Digital that officers responded at approximately 9:02 p.m. and met with Barrett's security detail, which confirmed the report had no merit. "No additional police resources were utilized," the department said in a statement. Justice Barrett was on the bench Thursday morning and read aloud summaries of two opinions she authored, making no mention of the incident.
The incident follows years of heightened threats against Supreme Court justices, including protests outside conservative justices' homes after the leaked Dobbs draft opinion in 2022 and the arrest near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home of a California man charged with attempted murder. FBI Director Kash Patel has said his agency is investigating a rise in swatting incidents targeting conservatives.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and progressive groups have broadly condemned threats against any public official while noting that security concerns extend across the political spectrum. "Violence or intimidation directed at judges, regardless of ideology, undermines the rule of law," said a spokesperson for a judicial advocacy organization that works on court access issues. Some progressive commentators pointed to frustration with recent court decisions but emphasized that peaceful protest — not threats — is the appropriate avenue for disagreement.
Civil liberties groups have also raised concerns about swatting as a tool of harassment affecting public figures, activists and journalists across political affiliations, arguing the practice poses genuine dangers to both targets and responding officers. "This isn't a partisan issue — it's a crime that puts lives at risk," one advocacy group posted on social media.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican lawmakers quickly condemned the incident as an attack on the judiciary itself. Senator Mike Lee of Utah wrote on X: "Swatting is an attempt to get an innocent person killed—in this case, a sitting Supreme Court Justice. The proper response will be putting the offender in prison for many, many years." Conservative commentators linked the swatting call to what they described as a pattern of escalating threats against conservative jurists and officials.
FBI Director Kash Patel has said his agency is investigating swatting incidents targeting conservatives, including several involving high-profile figures. The Justice Department declined to comment on specific investigations but said it takes all threats against federal judges seriously. Republican lawmakers have called for additional security funding for the Supreme Court Police.
What the Numbers Show
The Supreme Court Police budget for fiscal year 2026 includes approximately $15 million for protective operations, according to congressional appropriations documents. In June 2022, Californian Nicholas John Roske was charged with attempted murder after being arrested near Justice Kavanaugh's Maryland home while carrying a gun, knife and pepper spray; he was later sentenced to eight years in federal prison.
There were two public assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump's life during the 2024 campaign. The FBI has not disclosed specific numbers for swatting incidents targeting judges or conservative figures this year. A 2023 Pew Research survey found that 46% of Americans say violence against government officials is a serious problem, up from 35% in 2019.
The Bottom Line
The Fairfax County incident underscores ongoing security challenges facing federal judges, particularly those on the Supreme Court's conservative wing. No charges have been filed and no suspect has been identified in Wednesday's swatting call. The Supreme Court declined to comment. The case adds to a series of threats and harassment incidents involving justices that have prompted repeated calls from both parties for enhanced protections — though questions remain about whether current security measures are sufficient to deter sophisticated harassment campaigns.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department and Supreme Court for additional comment.