A man carrying a pistol, a knife and a tie was arrested Wednesday near the Maryland home of U.S. Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh after threatening to kill him, according to authorities.
Nicholas John Roske of Simi Valley, Calif. Kavanaugh, in a Washington suburb.
Roske, 26, had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh’s home and kill him, according to the complaint and an affidavit filed. in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he bought the gun to kill Kavanaugh and would also commit suicide, the affidavit said.
Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overturn Roe v. Wade, the historical case of abortion. He also said he was upset by the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said.
The court is currently weighing in on a challenge to New York requirements for obtaining a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could facilitate armament on the streets of New York and other major cities.
When he got out of the taxi, Roske was seen by two U.S. marshals who are part of the 24-hour security provided to judges after the draft opinion leaked last month. But Roske was only arrested after he called 911 and said he had suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, after finding the address of justice online. Roske was still talking on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived at the scene, according to the affidavit.
U.S. Marshals patrol outside Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Wednesday, where a California man was arrested after threatening to kill him. (Jacquelyn Martin / The Associated Press)
“This kind of behavior is obviously a behavior we will not tolerate,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters on Wednesday. “Threats of violence and real violence against the courts, of course, impact the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and hold the people who do it accountable.”
U.S. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly arresting the man, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in an email.
There have been protests in the homes of Kavanaugh and other judges, as well as demonstrations in court, where a security fence surrounds the building and the nearby streets have been closed.
A National Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has triggered a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence.