Robert Hill called in sick to work when he heard about what was happening in his Bethesda, Maryland. Every major cable news network was broadcasting from a house just a few streets away, but Hill had to see it for himself.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe provided FBI Director Patel the intelligence that was the basis of the search warrant, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.

Eyewitnesses reported a significant federal presence in the neighborhood. Lawfare’s Ben Wittes was seen livestreaming the scene online, and photographs taken shortly after the raid showed agents working behind a secured perimeter.