Rep. Henry Cuellar was carjacked by armed assailants Monday night in the Navy Yard neighborhood south of the Capitol, the latest iteration of violence against lawmakers or their staff.
The Texas Democrat was not injured, and the car was recovered, his office said. But a phone and iPad were stolen from the car.
“As Congressman Cuellar was parking his car this evening, 3 armed assailants approached the Congressman and stole his vehicle. Luckily, he was not harmed and is working with local law enforcement,” Cuellar’s chief of staff, Jacob Hochberg, said in a statement. “Thank you to Metro PD and Capitol Police for their swift action and for recovering the Congressman’s vehicle.”
Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department said it had a report of an armed carjacking around 9:32 p.m. at the intersection of New Jersey Avenue and K Street Southeast.
The Capitol Police said the victim has been identified as a member of Congress, and the department’s investigators are working with MPD on the case. “Injuries were not reported. Detectives are working to track down the suspects,” the Capitol Police said.
The incident comes as violent crime in Washington is up 39 percent over the past year to date, according to the MPD.
Other members and their staff have faced violent crime in Washington. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., was attacked in the elevator of her D.C. apartment building in February. And Phillip Todd, a staffer for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was stabbed several times near the 1300 block of H Street Northeast in March.
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