Federal Judge’s Home Targeted in Apparent “Swatting” Attack

WASHINGTON — On Sunday night, police and fire trucks were dispatched to the residence of Tanya Chutkan, the federal judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s election interference case. The incident appears to be an attempted “swatting” attack, where false reports of a shooting are made to draw law enforcement to a specific location.

According to NBC News, police confirmed that they responded to reports of a shooting at a house identified as Chutkan’s home. The judge was present at the time of the incident, but she was unharmed and no one was inside her residence.

Upon arrival, the Metropolitan Police Department determined that no shooting had taken place. The origin of the emergency call remains unknown.

Tanya Chutkan presides over the federal election interference case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith against former President Donald Trump. “Swatting” incidents targeting high-profile individuals have seen an increase in recent years.

The U.S. District Court spokesperson did not provide comment on the incident.

Threats against judges have become more prevalent across the country. This includes the recent threats against Colorado’s Supreme Court judges following a ruling declaring Trump ineligible for the state’s primary ballot. The FBI is actively investigating these threats.

Judge Chutkan herself has faced threats in the past. Abigail Jo Shry was arrested and charged last August for transmitting a threat to injure the judge via interstate commerce. Shry left a threatening voicemail message, using racial slurs and expressing a desire to harm Chutkan and her family.

Former President Trump has also targeted Judge Chutkan on social media, posting derogatory messages about her and others involved in the case. However, a gag order imposed by Chutkan limits his targeting of certain individuals.

Trump’s trial in the election interference case is scheduled for March, pending a Supreme Court ruling on his claim of presidential immunity. Trump entered a plea of not guilty during a court appearance in August.

In response to the rise in threats against judges, President Biden signed the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act into law in 2022. The legislation prohibits the sale and dissemination of judges’ personal information online and provides additional security measures for federal judges.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was also the target of a threat in June 2022. An armed man was apprehended near Kavanaugh’s home with various weapons. The suspect claimed his anger was motivated by concerns over the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade and a school shooting in Texas.

After these incidents, Congress passed a bill to enhance security for family members of Supreme Court justices, which President Biden signed into law.