A staff member for Rep. Brad Finstad was attacked at gunpoint just blocks from the Capitol following Wednesday night’s Congressional Baseball for Charity, the Minnesota Republican said.
Finstad said one of his staffers was attacked outside his residence that night, after thousands of congressional staffers and Washington, D.C.-area residents filled Nationals Park to watch Democratic and Republican members of Congress — including Finstad — play ball.
“Following Wednesday’s Congressional Baseball Game for Charity, one of my staffers was attacked outside of his residence by an armed gunman,” Finstad said. “Thankfully, he will be able to make a full recovery and the extent of his physical injuries was minor. I thank the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department for their quick response and their attention to this incident.”
Finstad’s office did not share the exact time of the incident or describe the injuries. However, according to a DC police report obtained by CBS News Friday night, the victim told officers he was walking home when two male suspects in black hoodies shoved him to the ground, produced a handgun and pointed it at him. He told officers he was able to run away without giving the suspects any of belongings.
No shots were fired during the incident, police said.
“In Washington, D.C. and cities across the country, anti-police, soft-on-crime policies have created lawless societies that endanger the public and empower criminal behavior,” Finstad said. “It’s time we started treating criminals like criminals and bring back commonsense policies that imprison career criminals, keep the public safe, and allow our police officers to adequately protect our communities and keep violent criminals off the streets.”
Finstad’s staff member isn’t the only staffer or member to be assaulted in Washington in recent months.
In March, a staffer for Sen. Rand Paul suffered potential brain bleeding and a punctured lung in a stabbing attack in broad daylight. According to an affidavit, Glynn Neal, 42, attacked and stabbed Phil Todd as he exited a northeast Washington, D.C., restaurant.
And in February, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig was assaulted in her apartment building. The assailant, Kendrid Hamlin, pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress and assaulting law enforcement officers who responded to the incident.
