Two staff members for Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) were assaulted and hospitalized Monday morning by a man armed with a baseball bat who entered the congressman’s district office in Fairfax, Virginia.
The lawmaker, who represents Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, said the attacker asked for him specifically before committing an “act of violence,” according to a statement from Connolly’s office. The staffers were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the suspect is in police custody, according to the Fairfax City Police.
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“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,” Connolly said in a statement.
“Right now, our focus is on ensuring they are receiving the care they need. We are incredibly thankful to the City of Fairfax Police Department and emergency medical professionals for their quick response. I have the best team in Congress. My District Office staff make themselves available to constituents and members of the public every day,” he added.
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“The thought that someone would take advantage of my staff’s accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating,” the congressman said.
This latest incident comes amid data provided by the Capitol Police, the agency charged with protecting members of Congress, which found cases related to “concerning statements and threats” jumped from 3,939 in 2017 to 9,625 in 2021. In late October of last year, Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was hospitalized after a man with a hammer assaulted him during a break-in at his home in California.