CRIME
Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar Carjacked At Gunpoint in Washington, DC
repcuellar/Instagram
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) was carjacked Monday evening by three armed assailants, but was unharmed, officials said.
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, Cuellars chief of staff, Jacob Hochberg, said in a statement.
The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police are investigating. Police recovered Cuellar’s vehicle, a white Honda, but they were still working to locate the suspects.
The carjacking took place in the Navy Yards neighborhood, outside an apartment building where numerous lawmakers live while in Washington. Because of how many lawmakers live there, the building typically has a significant Capitol Police presence.
According to the Metropolitan Police, there have been 753 carjackings reported so far in 2023, with 75% of those involving firearms. The agency said there have been 113 arrests so far this year for carjacking offenses, with 65% of arrests involving juveniles.
Carjackings have been rising since 2020, with a major surge this year. The MPD established its carjacking task force in January of 2021, when there were only 43 carjackings. In June of 2023, there were 140 carjackings reported.
TMX contributed to this article.
