Police responded to a report of gunshots at the Virginia home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, but authorities later confirmed it was a suspected swatting attempt—a tactic involving false emergency calls designed to provoke an armed police response.
Officers quickly determined the call was fabricated after speaking with security personnel on scene. Dispatchers had warned responding units that the incident could be “a swatting situation” due to their inability to reach the original caller. Barrett’s security team confirmed no gunfire occurred and coordinated with law enforcement to clear the area.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) condemned the incident, stating: “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.”
Justice Barrett has previously faced protests and security concerns following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, including the publication of justices’ home addresses by activist groups.
