A chilling email targeting Amanda Coney Williams, sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, sent shockwaves through Charleston, South Carolina law enforcement.
According to ABC News, an executive assistant at the Charleston County Sheriff's Department received a threatening email describing a pipe bomb allegedly placed in Williams' mailbox, prompting an immediate response from local authorities.
The incident unfolded when the employee discovered the email upon arriving at work on Monday morning, having been sent just before midnight on March 8. The message contained detailed descriptions of an explosive device and was signed with "Free Palestine," triggering a swift mobilization of emergency services.
The Charleston Police Department's Explosive Device Team, accompanied by fire and emergency medical services crews, thoroughly inspected Williams' property. Officers arrived at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Monday to investigate the threat, deploying specialized equipment, including a robot to examine the mailbox.
The email sender provided specific technical details about the alleged explosive device. According to the threatening message obtained by police:
Using a 1x8-inch threaded galvanized pipe, end caps, a kitchen timer, some wires, metal clips and homemade black powder, I've constructed a pipe bomb which I recently placed in Amy Coney Barrett's sister's mailbox at her home.
Local authorities later determined the threat to be a false alarm, though the investigation remains active. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of Supreme Court justices' family members and the potential for politically motivated threats.
David Williams, Amanda's husband, revealed to investigators an unusual pattern of harassment targeting Justice Barrett's relatives. He reported that unknown individuals had attempted multiple unauthorized pizza deliveries to households connected to the Supreme Court justice over the weekend.
The timing of these incidents suggests a coordinated effort to intimidate Barrett's family members. Law enforcement officials are investigating possible connections between the bomb threat and the suspicious pizza delivery attempts.
The threat comes amid Justice Barrett's continued prominence on the Supreme Court, where she has served since her appointment by former President Donald Trump in 2020. As the youngest Supreme Court nominee since Clarence Thomas, Barrett's Catholic faith and conservative judicial philosophy have made her a notable figure in American politics.
The Charleston County Sheriff's Department demonstrated its emergency response protocols when Sheriff Carl Ritchie immediately forwarded the threatening email to the Charleston Police Department. This swift action showcased the coordination between local law enforcement agencies in handling potential threats to high-profile individuals and their families.
The involvement of multiple emergency response teams highlighted the seriousness with which authorities treated the threat. The deployment of specialized equipment and personnel demonstrated the comprehensive security measures in place for such situations.
Local authorities continue to investigate the source of the threat, analyzing digital evidence and pursuing potential leads. The incident has prompted a review of security measures for Supreme Court justices' family members in the Charleston area.
The bomb threat targeting Amanda Coney Williams, sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, occurred at her Charleston, South Carolina residence following a threatening email received by the Charleston County Sheriff's Department. The message, which included detailed specifications for an alleged pipe bomb and was signed with "Free Palestine," triggered an immediate response from local law enforcement agencies. While the threat was ultimately determined to be false, the investigation remains active as authorities work to identify the source of the threat and any potential connections to other harassment incidents targeting Justice Barrett's family members.
