Sandy MaloneFairfax, VA – A man armed with a baseball bat stormed into the district office of U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia) on Monday morning and brutally attacked two of his staff members.
Connolly’s 11th Congressional District Office is located less than 15 minutes from the U.S. Capitol in Fairfax, NBC News reported.
“This morning, an individual entered my District Office armed with a baseball bat and asked for me before committing an act of violence against two members of my staff. The individual is in police custody and both members of my team were transferred to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries,” the congressman said in a statement released after the incident.
It was unclear exactly what time the incident occurred on May 15, NBC News reported.
“We are incredibly thankful to the City of Fairfax Police Department and emergency medical professionals for their quick response,” the 73-year-old Connolly continued.
“I have the best team in Congress,” he said. “My District Office staff make themselves available to constituents and members of the public every day. The thought that someone would take advantage of my staff’s accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating.”
U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) investigated about 7,500 cases of potential threats against members of Congress in 2022, down from 9,600 threats in 2021, CBS News reported.
However, the number of cases in 2021 was double that of four years before.
Fairfax City Police on baseball bat attack at Congressman Connolly’s office. pic.twitter.com/mOYtWhxyTt
— Drew Wilder (@DrewWilderTV) May 15, 2023
Two members of Rep. Gerry Connolly’s staff are in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after they were attacked in the Congressman’s office by a person w/ a baseball bat.
The office is in Fairfax. The suspect is in custody. @DCNewsNow pic.twitter.com/8QEqo5ICYw
— Max Marcilla (@MaxJMarcilla) May 15, 2023
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Holly Matkin
