Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was attacked on Thursday morning in the elevator of her Washington D.C. apartment building, according to a statement from her office. The assailant, later identified as Kendrick Hamlin, 26, allegedly entered the elevator with Rep. Craig and began doing push-ups before punching her in the chin and grabbing her neck. Rep. Craig was able to defend herself by throwing her hot coffee at the attacker, who then fled the scene. Rep. Craig suffered bruises from the altercation, but her chief of staff, Nick Coe, confirmed that she is physically okay.
Angie Craig assaulted in DC apartment building https://t.co/4MzGNf6nF6 pic.twitter.com/iWjceyXw1S
— The Hill (@thehill) February 10, 2023
The Metropolitan Police Department later arrested Hamlin and charged him with simple assault. According to a police report, Rep. Craig had noticed the suspect in the lobby of her building, “acting erratic as if he was under the influence of an unknown substance.” There is no evidence at this time that the attack was politically motivated.
In a separate statement, the U.S. Capitol Police also announced that they are investigating the incident, but there is no indication that Rep. Craig was targeted because of her position.
Rep. Craig was elected in 2018 and is the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from Minnesota. In the wake of the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, members of Congress have experienced an increase in threats of violence, leading them to call for more funding for personal security. Although the number of threat investigations decreased last year, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger stated in January that the rate is “still too high.”