An American congresswoman was robbed at noon today Police arrested five suspects
Mary J. Scanlon returned to the train after a tour in which she participated, so two men approached her with a gun and demanded to get her car keys – there were cell phones, a wallet and ID cards
Democratic House Representative Mary J. Scanlon, who represents Pennsylvania, was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday afternoon in a park in southern Philadelphia when she returned to the train after an event she attended. This, while the state sees a sharp jump in influence that breaks 30-year records.
Mary J. Scanlon (Photo: AP)
The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m., when Scanlon returned to her car after a tour of FDR Park. So, two men with a dark SUV approached her – police said, according to a report on the WPVI website.
The two suspects demanded from the congressional notebook her car keys, and she handed them to them. Inside her car were Scanlon’s cell phone, as well as the cell phone she received on behalf of her work in the government, her wallet and IDs. Police said the representative was “not physically injured.”
Police opened an investigation, and quickly apprehended five suspects – four men and one woman. They are unlucky and awaiting indictments, after Scanlon’s SUV was found near the Delaware Mall Wednesday night.
The representative’s office wrote on Twitter: “Scanlon thanks the Philadelphia Police Department for its prompt response, and appreciates the efforts of law enforcement to ensure its continued safety.”
The violent incident that Scanlon went through comes as the state sees a sharp jump in crime, and experiences one of the most violent years in its history.
Earlier this month, police reported that since the beginning of 2021 incidents of 540 murders, a number that broke the record set in 1990 – then 500 murders occurred.
During the current year, as of December 9, there were 720 car thefts, compared to 409 last year and 225 in 2019.
Despite the shocking numbers released, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said earlier this month that “we do not have a crime crisis. We do not have a crisis of violence.” But days later, Krasner retracted his remarks, noting that he was not “clear” while trying to make clear the point that overall crime in Philadelphia had dropped compared to previous years.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenny condemned the violent incident that Scanlon went through. “I’m shocked to hear about the violent crime committed against my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Mary J. Scanlon. My thoughts are with her as she goes through traumatic days.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and unfortunately it has not always been like this in the last year. It is discouraging and annoying that criminals feel safe to commit such a crime in the middle of the day,” he added.
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