The federal judge overseeing former President Donald Trump‘s election interference case, Tanya Chutkan, was the target of a ‘swatting’ incident at her residence on Sunday night.
What Happened: A false police alert led to the dispatch of emergency services to Chutkan’s home, following a deceptive call suggesting a shooting at the location, NBC News reported.
The police confirmed to NBC News that they were called to address false reports of a shooting at a residence identified by a witness as belonging to Chutkan. A law enforcement official also confirmed that Chutkan was at home when the police arrived at her residence.
The authorities arrived to find no evidence of a shooting, with Chutkan herself unharmed and confirming no intruders were present.
The origin of the misleading emergency call is still unknown, the report added.
Chutkan, who is currently presiding over the election interference case against Trump, has previously been subjected to threats. In relation to this, a Texas woman was apprehended and charged last year for leaving Chutkan a threatening voicemail message.
The trial for Trump’s case is anticipated to begin in March, contingent on the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Trump’s claim of presidential immunity.
Why It Matters: Swatting typically includes individuals driven by malicious motives falsely notifying local authorities about a threat at someone else's residence to provoke a police response. The act has become widespread, leading the FBI to establish a national online database in May to monitor all swatting occurrences.
The incident is part of a troubling uptick in threats against judges and other public officials across the country. It follows similar ‘swatting’ incidents targeting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and her daughters recently. On Christmas Day, the Georgia Republican made the incident public on social media, sharing that this was the eighth time such an event had taken place.
Meanwhile, Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.) also reported a similar swatting incident on Christmas Day. The authorities confirmed a fake report of a shooting at Williams' residence.
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