Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig used hot coffee to fend off a man who assaulted her in her apartment building in Washington DC, police say.
Ms Craig, who rents an apartment in Washington when she’s not at home in Prior Lake, Minnesota, was confronted by the assailant at around 7.15am on Thursday.
The man, who has since been arrested and identified as 26-year-old Kendrick Hamlin, was first seen “acting erratic” in the lobby of Ms Craig’s building.
The congresswoman told police she said “good morning” to him before he followed her into an elevator, where he began to do push-ups.
The suspect then punched Ms Craig in the chin and grabbed her by the neck. She was able to subdue him and get away by throwing hot coffee, before he fled the scene.
Mr Hamlin’s arrest was confirmed hours after police released a blurry surveillance photo of the suspect.
Ms Craig suffered bruising but is “otherwise okay physically” after the attack, her office said in a statement.
Ms Craig represents the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, a Minnesota affiliate of the US Democratic Party.
“There is no evidence that the incident was politically motivated,” Chief of Staff Nick Coe said.
“Rep. Craig called 9-1-1 and the assailant fled the scene of the assault,” he said. “Rep. Craig is grateful to the DC Metropolitan Police Department for their quick response and asks for privacy at this time.”
Ms Craig, 50, first joined Congress in January 2019. She was elected to her third term in the 2022 midterms.
She joined her fellow lawmakers later on Thursday to cast votes in the House.
The chair of the Minnesota DFL Party, Ken Martin, said in a statement that “I was shocked and horrified to hear that Representative Angie Craig was assaulted this morning. It is a relief to hear that the injuries sustained by Representative Craig are not dire, and I wish her a speedy recovery”.
“I am grateful the D.C. police responded quickly to the situation and I hope the assailant will be swiftly brought to justice,” he added.
The assault comes amid heightened worries regarding the safety of lawmakers following the January 6, 2021 insurrection and the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on 28 October last year.
The US Capitol Police (USCP) said in a statement: “This morning a man, who is believed to be homeless, hit the Congresswoman and grabbed her neck while she was in the elevator of her Washington, D.C. apartment complex. The Congresswoman received a minor injury to her chin. DC's Metropolitan Police Department was called and responded. At this time, there is no information that the Congresswoman was targeted because of her position, however the case is still under investigation by both the MPD and the USCP.”
The police report states that the man “punched her on the chin area of her face, and later grabbed her neck,” with Ms Craig reacting by throwing her hot coffee at the assailant, who escaped before the arrival officers, NBC noted.
Those serving in House leadership and representatives who are targets of threats receive personal security, but most lawmakers don’t.
Lawmakers have noted a rise in public harassment over the course of the last few years.
House officials increased the level of spending on security last year, putting in place a residential programme that funds the installation of surveillance cameras, motion sensors, and locks at the homes of lawmakers up to a cost of $10,000, Politico noted.
USCP said last autumn that they needed additional resources to ensure the “physical security” of Members of Congress at their homes after the attack on Mr Pelosi.
The agency opened field offices in Florida and California to probe threats made against lawmakers following the January 6 insurrection.
Last year, USCP conducted 7,501 investigations into “concerning statements” and direct threats.
