FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. – Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett was the target of a “swatting” call this week, police said.
What we know:
Fairfax County Police told FOX 5 DC that they received the call on their non-emergency line shortly after 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, at Barrett’s home.
Local officers coordinated with the Supreme Court Police personnel who are assigned to Barrett’s home, and determined the call was a hoax.
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
What is swatting?
Dig deeper:
“Swatting” is when someone reports a fake crime to law enforcement, usually something violent like a shooting, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The goal is to get law enforcement to respond to that home or place in force, like with a SWAT team.
FBI officials estimated that there are hundreds of swatting calls in the U.S. annually.
Swatting investigation
What we don’t know:
Officials did not say if a suspect had been identified or arrested.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Fairfax County Police Department, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
