Amy Coney Barrett targeted by swatting call

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.

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.