FBI raids home of Nicholas Roske, suspect charged with attempted murder of Brett Kavanaugh
FBI agents raided the California home of Nicholas Roske, who has been charged with trying to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Federal officials Wednesday night converged on the Roske family’s one-story house in Simi Valley and busted down the front door after obtaining a search warrant.
Neighbors told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that the feds also were canvassing the area and asking questions about Roske.
“They were always nice people so it’s a surprise more than anything,” neighbor Zach Quadri told CBS News of Roske’s family.
Roske was arrested earlier Wednesday outside Kavanaugh’s home in Montgomery County, Maryland, where he had shown up with a backpack and suitcase containing a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, tactical gear, pepper spray and other items, including zip ties, a hammer, a screwdriver and duct tape.
The 26-year-old was apprehended after calling 911 and telling the operator that he was having “suicidal thoughts” and had a firearm in his suitcase.
Roske also allegedly confided in the emergency communications dispatcher that “he traveled from California to Maryland to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice,” according to a US Justice Department press release.
A reporter stands outside Nicholas Roske’s family home.
The suspect was charged with one count of attempting to murder or kidnap a US judge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, Roske told investigators that he “began thinking about how to give his life purpose and decided that he would kill the Supreme Court Justice.”
Nicholas Roske was arrested earlier Wednesday outside Justice Kavanaugh’s home in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Roske said he was angry over the leaked draft opinion signaling the Supreme Court’s intent to overturn Roe v. Wade. He was also upset over the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, an affidavit said.
“This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters Wednesday. “Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable.”
Appearing before a federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Roske paused several times while responding to routine inquiries from US Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing.
Nicholas Roske told investigators that he “began thinking about how to give his life purpose and decided that he would kill the Supreme Court Justice.”
Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, “I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldn’t say I’m thinking clearly.”
Roske said he is taking medication but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate.
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