US Congressman Henry Cuellar was carjacked outside his residence in Washington on Monday night, the latest victim of a surge in carjackings in the US capital.
Three armed assailants approached Cuellar as he was parking and stole his vehicle, his chief of staff confirmed to AFP.
The American lawmaker was unharmed and is cooperating with local law enforcement.
The carjacking comes amid a sharp rise in carjackings in Washington, DC.
The city's police department has reported 750 carjackings so far this year, almost double the number of incidents during the same period last year.
Some of Cuellar's political opponents from the Republican Party have used the opportunity to attack him, blaming Democrats for the rise in crime.
"They should be prosecuting real criminals instead of persecuting their political enemies," tweeted Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
However, Greene also expressed hope that Cuellar was "ok."
Democrat Congressman Henry Cuellar was just car jacked at gun point in Navy Yard which is just a few miles from the Capitol.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 3, 2023
I hope he’s ok.
They should be prosecuting real criminals instead of persecuting their political enemies.
The Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating the incident and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
The MPD has said that it is taking steps to address the rise in carjackings, including increasing patrols in high-crime areas and deploying new technology.
