A pair of preschool teachers were physically attacked Monday while walking with infants and toddlers on a street in Washington, D.C., WTTG-TV reported, citing a councilmember.

Councilmember Zachary Parker noted on X that the teachers from the Petit Scholars school in the Bloomingdale neighborhood were walking with three classes of infants and toddlers outside the school when the physical attack occurred:

Parker said in a subsequent post that a man approached asking for money, and when he was denied, he attacked. Parker added that one teacher suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and is recovering at a nearby hospital and that a second teacher who tried to help also was injured but isn't hospitalized. Parker added that good Samaritans jumped in and helped stop the attack.

Parker added in another post that the attacker — who's well-known in the community — was arrested and that it's believed he may have been going through a mental health crisis. Parker said support services for him also are being looked at and that nearby schools have been informed about the attack.

He also noted that police are being approached to provide an escort for Petit Scholars groups for their daily walks and trips to a nearby playground.

"Neighbors, staff, parents, and students deserve to feel safe in our communities," the councilmember noted. "The devastation of a child witnessing their teacher [being] attacked is unthinkable. We must keep working to make our communities healthy, whole, and safe."

WTTG reported that the attack occurred on the same day as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's announcement of a new anti-crime initiative due to rising crime in the nation's capital; police said violent crime is up 41% in the district this year compared to this time last year.

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