Representative Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas, experienced a carjacking at gunpoint on Monday outside his residence in Washington, D.C., as reported by his office. This incident occurred in the Navy Yard area of the city, a fashionable neighborhood, at around 9:32 p.m. Fortunately, the 68-year-old legislator from South Texas emerged from the incident unscathed, according to the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C.
“As Congressman Cuellar was parking his car this evening, three armed assailants approached the congressman and stole his vehicle. Luckily, he was not harmed and is working with local law enforcement. Thank you to Metro PD and Capitol Police for their swift action and for recovering the congressman’s vehicle,” according to Jacob Hochberg, who serves as Cuellar’s chief of staff.
Cuellar was allegedly in the vicinity of a residential building where numerous House members reside. This information comes from Axios reporter Andrew Solender, who referenced a group chat used by the legislators residing in the same building.
According to the information shared in the group chat, three individuals, armed with firearms, allegedly threatened Cuellar by pointing guns at his head while taking his phone and his parked vehicle from the street.
An official crime alert from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) regarding this incident specifies that they are actively searching for three African American males dressed entirely in black attire. These individuals absconded with the congressman’s white Honda bearing Texas license plates.
The alert advises the public against taking any direct action and instead urges them to promptly contact 911 if they happen to spot either the vehicle or the suspects.
The armed carjacking is currently under investigation by both the Washington, D.C. police and the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), as confirmed by Capitol Police to The Post. This incident is the most recent in a string of violent crimes that have occurred in the district throughout this year, impacting members of Congress and their staff members.
In February, Representative Angie Craig, a Democrat from Minnesota, encountered a distressing incident in the elevator of her apartment building in northeast Washington, D.C. She was physically assaulted by a homeless man with an extensive criminal record. This assault left her with visible injuries, causing bruises, and she managed to escape by using her hot morning coffee to deter the assailant.
The subsequent month brought another alarming incident when a member of Senator Rand Paul’s staff, 26-year-old Phillip Todd, was subjected to a brutal attack in broad daylight by an individual armed with a knife. This incident occurred on the same street where Representative Craig had been assaulted. Phillip Todd sustained severe injuries in the attack, including multiple stab wounds to his head and chest.
