Representative Angie Craig (DFL-MN) has been in office since 2019 as the U.S. representative from Minnesota’s 2nd congressional district. Early this morning, she was attacked in her apartment building, and George Takei sent out a tweet offering her his condolences as she goes through a speedy recovery.
The attack on Thursday morning took place in the elevator of her apartment building, as the press release put out by Craig’s Chief of Staff Nick Coe explains, adding that she bravely fought off the assailant and only suffered bruising. The Metropolitan City Police were quick to respond to her 911 call, but they were unable to capture her attacker, as he had already fled the scene. As NBC reports, Craig gave a statement to the police that she spotted a man who was in her lobby “acting erratic as if he was under the influence of an unknown substance.”
When she got on the elevator, he “punched her on the chin area of her face, and later grabbed her neck.” She defended herself by throwing her coffee on him, causing him to flee before the police were able to arrive. The press release says that there is no evidence that this was politically motivated, despite the fact that there has been a rise in violence against lawmakers since the January 6, 2021 attempted coup incident, and that there has been a call to increase funding for personal security. In the meantime, Craig will be healing.
Investigations have a way of leading detectives right to the truth, which means no motive should be dismissed at this point.
I wouldn’t dismiss a political motive too quickly. Prayers for a rapid and complete recovery.
— Georgiana Michels (@Georgiana65623) February 9, 2023
An attack like this does have a way of making a person rethink their decisions, but its likely Craig won’t be regretting her decision to become a lawmaker any time soon.
Just awful hope she is really ok.. things like this are traumatic
— Brigid (@Brigid55194917) February 9, 2023
There is a chance that it wasn’t politically motivated; even though she was the target and the climate is currently unfavorable for lawmakers, D.C. has always been a dangerous to live in.
Crime in DC is way up.
— Chill (@Chillcatser) February 9, 2023
He could have been trying to rob her, given that she describes him as someone who might have been under the influence. Regardless of what the actual motive was, we wish her a speedy recovery.