Trump campaign judge targeted over ‘swatting’ incident

The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s election interference case and the prosecutor who brought him to trial both appear to have been victims of “swatting” incidents at their respective homes.

Police and fire trucks arrived at Judge Tanya Chutkan’s home after false reports of a shooting Sunday evening, NBC News reported.

A police report obtained by the outlet states that officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to a call around 10 p.m. and that the judge, who was not named in the report, was home when they arrived at the scene.

The unnamed resident told officers that she “was not injured and that no one was in her home.”

A police spokesman told NBC News that the department “has determined that no shooting occurred.”

A “swatting” is usually a fake emergency call to the emergency call center 911, which can lead to the dispatch of heavily armed and armored police forces.

It is the latest swatting incident in recent weeks that has also targeted Maine’s secretary of state, who barred Mr. Trump from the 2024 primary.

On Monday, NBC reported that special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the prosecution of Mr. Trump over election interference and his handling of classified documents, was beaten at his home in Maryland on Christmas Day

Police were reportedly told that Mr. Smith had shot his wife, but this was canceled when the U.S. Marshals guarding the residence assured them it was a false alarm.

Ms. Chutkan is the judge overseeing Mr. Smith’s federal case against the former president. She has already been targeted by Mr Trump on social media and threatened by his fans.

Texas woman Abigail Jo Shry, 43, was arrested in August 2023 and charged with communicating a threat to injure a person in interstate commerce.

An affidavit in the case says she allegedly called the judge on Aug. 5 and left a “threatening voicemail message” for her.

“Hey, you stupid slave,” prosecutors say Ms. Shry said, before referring to the judge using the N-word.

“You are in our sights, we want to kill you. …If Trump doesn’t get elected in 2024, we’re coming to kill you, so tread carefully b——,” the message allegedly continued.

“You will be targeted personally, publicly, your family and everything else.”

Mr. Trump’s trial is scheduled to begin in March unless the U.S. Supreme Court rules on an immunity request from the Republican.

At a court appearance in August, he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

This story was updated at 9:12 p.m. on January 8, 2023 to add details about another strike against Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.