An armed man, who allegedly made threats against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, was arrested early Wednesday near the justice’s Maryland home, a court spokesperson said.
The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was arrested about 1:50 a.m., and transported to a local Montgomery County, Maryland Police district.
Last month, Attorney General Merrick Garland moved to bolster justices’ security amid continuing protests over a leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the high court’s landmark abortion decision.
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Following a meeting with federal law enforcement officials including the Supreme Court’s chief security official, Garland said authorities would “take all appropriate actions to further enhance the security of justices and the court.”
The meeting came after protesters took the unprecedented step of marching to justices’ homes. At that time, Garland directed the U.S. Marshals Service to assist in providing 24-hour security.
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Drew Wade, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service, said Wednesday that the agency was gathering information on the case and had no immediate comment on it. He referred inquiries to Montgomery County authorities.
Montgomery County officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Wednesday said the arrest is “exactly the kind of event many feared that the terrible breach of the court’s rules and norms could fuel.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
