Man Arrested Near Kavanaugh Home In Chevy Chase Texted With Sister Before Calling 911

CHEVY CHASE, MD — The man charged last week with the attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was urged to call 911 by his sister as he stood near the judge's home in Chevy Chase, police officials said.

The sister of Nicholas Roske played a major role in convincing the California man not to attempt to kill Kavanaugh, according to police officials on Tuesday.

After arriving in Kavanaugh’s neighborhood in Chevy Chase by taxi in the early morning hours of June 8, Roske contacted his sister by text and told her about his intentions, police said. In her response, the sister urged Roske to call 911.

After communicating with his sister, Roske placed two 911 calls, according to recordings provided by Montgomery’s Emergency Communications Center to The Washington Post.

Roske first called 911 at 1:38 a.m. on June 8 and told the emergency call center that he needed to see the street signs to let them know where he was. A minute later, Roske called again and stayed on the phone with the communications center.

Montgomery County police were dispatched to the area and found Roske around 1:50 a.m. He was still on the phone with the county communications center when police arrived and took him into custody.

In the conversation with the communications center, Roske told the operators he was having suicidal thoughts and had a firearm in his suitcase. He also said he had traveled from California and was planning to kill a Supreme Court justice, authorities said.

In newly released audio of the 911 calls, the operator asked Roske: "Do you have access to any weapons?”

“Yes,” Roske responded. “I brought a firearm with me, but it’s unloaded and locked in the case.”

“Okay. Where’s the firearm now?” the operator responded.

“It’s in a suitcase. It’s a black suitcase,” Roske said. “I’m standing near it, but the suitcase is zip-tied shut. I just came from the airport.”

READ ALSO: Man Found Near Justice Kavanaugh's Home Charged With Attempted Murder

Roske arrived in Chevy Chase by taxi and saw the U.S. marshals outside Kavanaugh's house. "He turned around to contemplate his next move,” Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said. “This is when he texted his sister and told her of his intentions, and she convinced him to call 911, which he did.”

Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, is facing federal charges for the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. He was dressed in all black and was carrying a backpack and a suitcase, officials said.

During a search of Roske's suitcase, police found a black tactical chest rig and tactical knife, a pistol with two magazines and ammunition, zip ties, pepper spray, a hammer, a crowbar, duct tape and several other items.

According to court documents, Roske told police he was upset over recent mass shootings and the leaked draft opinion that indicated the Supreme Court may be preparing to overturn Roe v. Wade, which guarantees a person's constitutional right to have an abortion.

Roske said he purchased a Glock pistol and other items “for the purpose of breaking into the justice’s residence and killing the justice as well as himself,” according to court records.