Pennsylvania Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon was carjacked at gunpoint Wednesday afternoon in Philadelphia.
The Democrat was physically unharmed, but the suspects took off with her car, according to the congresswoman’s spokesperson.
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“She thanks the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift response, and appreciates the efforts of both the Sergeant at Arms in D.C. and her local police department for coordinating with Philly PD to ensure her continued safety,” a spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
The carjacking took place at FDR Park following a meeting in that area, WPVI-TV reported. Police said Scanlon was walking over to her parked vehicle when the suspects approached her and demanded her keys. Her cellphones, purse, and identification were in the car when it was stolen.
Scanlon has served in Congress since 2018. She represents District 5 in the state and is the vice chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said on Twitter that he was appalled by the incident.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly that hasn’t always been the case this year,” he said. “It’s disheartening and infuriating that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of peace.”
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Major cities across the U.S. have seen an uptick in crime in 2021. Before the carjacking on Wednesday, Kenney gave a speech talking about the steps the city is taking to curb increasing violence.
With less than two weeks left in the year, the city reported that it had 544 homicide victims in 2021, according to data from the Philadelphia Police Department. This is a nearly 14% increase from 2020, when the city had 478 homicide victims.
