Rep. Angie Craig assaulted in elevator of her D.C. apartment building, suspect arrested
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Angie Craig was assaulted in an elevator of her apartment building Thursday morning, her chief of staff said.
According to her chief of staff, the assault took place in Washington, D.C. at around 7:15 a.m.
"Rep. Craig defended herself from the attacker and suffered bruising, but is otherwise physically okay," the statement said. "Rep. Craig called 911 and the assailant fled the scene of the assault."
The Metropolitan Police Department announced Thursday night that they arrested a 26-year-old man in connection to the attack.
According to a public incident report from police, Craig said that a person was acting erratically in the lobby area as if they were under the influence of an unknown substance.
Craig told police that when she went into the elevator to go to her apartment, the person followed her inside and "began to randomly do push ups," the police report said.
While inside the elevator, the person punched Craig in the chin area and grabbed her neck, the police report said. Craig reportedly defended herself by tossing hot coffee at the attacker.
Craig's team says there is no evidence that the attack was politically motivated.
Craig on Friday said she'd spent the day recovering, and was thankful for the outpouring of support from friends, constituents, and colleagues.
"My morning coffee really saved the day yesterday, but not exactly how I expected it to" she said. "On a serious note, I will also say that I was very, very lucky that I was not more injured -- and I'll have more to say about that soon."
"I remain deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers for their quick response and subsequent arrest of a suspect last night," she said.
Craig, a Democrat, represents Minnesota's Second Congressional District.
Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released a statement, saying he was "shocked and horrified" to hear of the assault.
"It is a relief to hear that the injuries sustained by Representative Craig are not dire, and I wish her a speedy recovery," he said. "I am grateful the D.C. police responded quickly to the situation and I hope the assailant will be swiftly brought to justice. While we do not know the motivations of the attacker, I believe it is important for leaders on both sides of the aisle to step up and make it clear that political violence of any kind is completely unacceptable."
Minnesota Republican Party Chairman David Hann said he was "saddened" to hear about the attack on Craig.
"We wish her and her family well as she recovers and hope that her attacker is swiftly brought to justice," Hann added.
The assault on Craig comes as members of Congress are facing a high number of threats against them. The U.S. Capitol Police investigated roughly 7,500 cases of potential threats against lawmakers in 2022, the agency said, down from 9,600 cases in 2021 and 8,600 in 2020.
To help address the surge in threats, Congress approved funding as part of a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package to bolster security for members and on the Capitol grounds.
The measure includes $6 million for general expenses to support U.S. Capitol Police recommendations to enhance member protection, including through a security program for congressional leadership, as well as expanding services from the Dignitary Protection Division and expanding the Capitol Police's field office presence. It also provided $2 million for salaries for Capitol Police to provide member security outside of Washington as warranted.
