District of Columbia police said Thursday night that they had arrested a suspect in an assault on Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota.
Craig was assaulted in the elevator in her Washington apartment building around 7:10 a.m., police said, but the assailant fled when she defended herself.
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Craig suffered bruises while escaping serious injury in the attack, which did not appear to be politically motivated, her chief of staff, Nick Coe, said in a statement.
The chief of staff described her as “physically okay.”
Take a look —
Statement by Rep. Angie Craig's Chief of Staff: pic.twitter.com/YHXKJkuK42
— Angie Craig (@RepAngieCraig) February 9, 2023
The Metropolitan Police Department said it had arrested 26-year-old Kendrick Hamlin, reportedly a homeless man, and charged him with simple assault.
Craig saw the assailant “acting erratic… as if he was under the influence of an unknown substance,” according to a police report obtained by The Hill. She reportedly saw him in the lobby, only for him to follow her into the elevator and “randomly do push ups.”
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The congresswoman reportedly wished the man a “good morning” and was punched in the face, according to The Hill‘s review of the police report.
“[Craig] advised that at some point she said “good morning” to [Hamlin],” the police report said, according to the Daily Mail. “[Craig] stated that [Hamlin] with a closed fist punched her on the chin area of her face, and later grabbed her neck.”
In self-defense, Craig reportedly threw her hot coffee on the attacker, who left shortly afterward.
She went to work that day, anyway, and she reportedly told the press of her “bad morning.”
To give you a sense of how strong @AngieCraigMN is, she went straight to the Hill this morning and attended a meeting in the Senate with the Governor and me and several members of our delegation about legislation for the people of her district.
No one messes with Angie. https://t.co/D7TizOeTQ9
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) February 9, 2023
Members of Congress have faced a sharp rise in threats during the last few years. Capitol Police investigated nearly 10,000 threats to members last year, more than twice the number from four years earlier.
Craig first joined Congress during 2018’s blue wave, when she unseated an incumbent Republican. She was part of the same freshman class as New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Last year, Craig won a third term in the suburban-to-rural 2nd District south of Minneapolis and St. Paul in one of the most expensive House races in the country. The district is rated D+1, and it remains the most competitive seat in the state.
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Coe said Craig is grateful for the quick response from the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department and has asked for privacy.
Colleagues commended Craig’s tenacity, and they wished her a full recovery.
This is terrible to hear…violence is becoming all too common in our country, and it breaks my heart.@RepAngieCraig is a dedicated legislator, a phenomenal person, and a cherished friend.
I am praying for her recovery. https://t.co/9OdSYGBxYA
— Yvette D. Clarke (@RepYvetteClarke) February 9, 2023
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.