Democrat Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) said a person armed with a baseball bat attacked members of his staff in his district office in Fairfax, Virginia, this morning.
Connelly says two members of his staff were hospitalized after the incident.
According to Connolly, the attacker was looking for him.
Connolly released the following statement: “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.
“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.
“The thought that someone would take advantage of my staff’s accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating.”
— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 15, 2023
CNN reporter Manu Raju said:
Rep. Gerry Connolly told me the assailant — who attacked two of his aides today — did so with a metal bat.
“The attacker struck one senior aide in the head with the metal bat, he said.
“The attacker also hit an intern — on her first day on the job — on the side with the bat.
“The attacker, who is a constituent from his district but who Connolly says he doesn’t know, caused wide damage in his office, shattering glass in a conference room and breaking computers along the way.
“He was filled with out-of-control rage.
Rep. Gerry Connolly told me the assailant — who attacked two of his aides today — did so with a metal bat. The attacker struck one senior aide in the head with the metal bat, he said. The attacker also hit an intern — on her first day on the job — on the side with the bat.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 15, 2023
BREAKING🚨: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) says two members of his staff were hospitalized after an individual entered his Fairfax, Virginia, office this morning with a baseball bat and attacked them.
According to Connolly, the attacker was looking for him. pic.twitter.com/0cCEI6Cdc7
— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) May 15, 2023