WASHINGTON — Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, was carjacked Monday night about a mile from the Capitol.
His chief of staff confirmed the incident in a statement and said he was not injured.
“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. Thank you to Metro PD and Capitol Police for their swift action and for recovering the Congressman’s vehicle,” the statement said.
Washington Metropolitan Police said an armed carjacking was reported at about 9:32 p.m. in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Southeast Washington. No information about the victim was immediately provided.
Punchbowl News first reported that Cuellar was the victim.
Reached for comment, a U.S. Capitol Police spokesperson said in a statement that Washington police were “investigating an armed carjacking that happened around 9:30 p.m. in DC’s Navy Yard neighborhood.”
“The victim has been identified as a Member of Congress, so the USCP has investigators working with MPD on this case. Injuries were not reported. Detectives are working to track down the suspects,” the spokesperson added.
Cuellar’s car was recovered about 2 miles away in the Anacostia neighborhood, two law enforcement sources told NBC Washington. No arrests have been made, the sources said.
Cuellar, 68, is not the first member of Congress to be the victim of a carjacking.
Two years ago, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., was carjacked at gunpoint in Philadelphia.
Cuellar was re-elected in November to a 10th term in Congress. His district stretches from the Rio Grande to parts of the San Antonio suburbs.
Rebecca Kaplan and Frank Thorp V reported from Washington. Zoë Richards reported from New York.
