Armed California man arrested near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home

An armed male who was lurking near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was detained and charged overnight, law enforcement officials say.

Officials say the man was armed with a handgun, knife and pepper spray and was located close to the justice’s house. When questioned by police, he admitted he was in the area with the intent to kill Kavanaugh.

“At approximately 1:50 a.m. today, a man was arrested near Justice Kavanaugh’s residence. The man was armed and made threats against Justice Kavanaugh. He was transported to Montgomery County Police 2nd District,” the Court said in a brief statement.

Officials added that the man is in his 20’s and from California. He arrived to the area near the justice’s suburban Chevy Chase, Maryland home by taxi.  

Although this incident is the first of this level of severity, Kavanaugh’s home was the center of many protests after the Court’s draft decision of Dobbs v. Jackson was leaked last month.

Demonstrators displayed signage and vocalized their pro-choice positions at the homes of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh after learning about the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be overturned in a May 2 story published by POLITICO.

“Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has called for protesters demonstrating in front of justices' homes to be arrested and prosecuted by the Justice Department, citing a federal law barring people from trying to intimidate or influence judges,” NBC reported.

“Some of Cotton's Republican colleagues said that would violate the First Amendment, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said people peacefully protesting is “the American way.” Schumer added that people protest in front of his home in New York “three, four times a week.”

Conservatives have complained that the White House has taken a passive response to the potential danger the protests have raised for the Justices.

When then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the demonstrations, she said they should be peaceful.

“Violence, threats, and intimidation have no place in political discourse,” Psaki said.  

The demonstrations raised immediate security concerns that prompted Congress to pass legislation granting security measures to immediate family members of Supreme Court Justices.