After a string of violent assaults on senators and their staff, the Senate issued a warning to everyone working on Capitol Hill to be on their guard against the rising crime rate in the nation's capital.
The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms sent a notice on Friday, Oct. 20, to different Senate departments, warning of an uptick in carjackings in the nation's capital and providing suggestions for lowering that risk. This warning came after reported multiple attacks on Senate employees this year.
Warnings and Precautions
The advisory, acquired by Fox News from various sources, states, "Local authorities note an increase in carjacking incidents in and around Capitol Hill and the District of Columbia."
The advisory included other cautions and safety suggestions, such as always locking the car doors and windows and never stopping to help a stranger with a broken-down vehicle but instead calling the police from a safe distance. It also suggested members and staff to park in well-lit locations near walkways, to hide valuables, and to not go alone as much as possible.
What to do if a carjacker pulls a gun on you is the main topic of another section. "Your safety is paramount; surrender your car without argument and swiftly leave the area. Attempt to recall the carjacker's physical details (gender, race, age, hair/eye color, distinctive features, clothing)."
The notice urged people to contact emergency services and the Capitol Hill Police Department if an incident arises in the area.
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Previous Incident Reports
In recent months, many members of Congress and Capitol Hill staffers have been targeted in violent assaults on the city's streets, including armed robberies and carjackings.
The Washington Post reported that a staff worker for Alabama Republican Senator Katie Britt was robbed at gunpoint on Thursday night, Oct. 19. Amanda Peper, the senator's scheduler, was reportedly robbed at gunpoint at 8:30 PM local time, approximately a mile from the Capitol.
Peper was heading to her building when a guy approached her, pointing a pistol at her face and demanding her belongings. According to the authorities, Peper complied and handed the robber her items.
This month, reports said Democratic Texas Representative Henry Cuellar was carjacked by three armed assailants while parked in the Washington suburb of Navy Yard, located less than two miles south of the Capitol building and home to many other legislators.
Three men appeared out of nowhere and displayed firearms at him, Cuellar told reporters. "I looked at one with a gun and another with a gun out the one behind me. So, they said they wanted my car." Even though his car was stolen, Cuellar was not hurt.
In June, after returning from the congressional baseball game, an unnamed member of Republican Minnesota Representative Brad Finstad's staff was attacked at gunpoint outside his DC home, Fox News reported.
And in March, Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul said a member of his staff had been "brutally attacked" in the streets of Washington, DC, by a person with a knife.
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