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In a shocking incident that unfolded on Monday morning, a man armed with a metal baseball bat launched a brutal attack on two members of Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly's staff at his district office in northern Virginia.
The assailant—identified as a 49-year-old man from Fairfax, Virginia—is now in police custody and faces serious charges of aggravated malicious wounding and malicious wounding.
You can watch a news report about the attack below.
\u201cBREAKING: A person wielding a baseball bat attacked two of Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly\u2019s staff members in his office in Viginina.\n\nThe aides were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the alleged attacker is in police custody. https://t.co/f8Y0noskpz\u201d— MSNBC (@MSNBC) 1684174488
Connolly addressed the attack in a statement to reporters:
"Right now, our focus is on ensuring they are receiving the care they need. My District Office staff make themselves available to constituents and members of the public every day."
"The thought that someone would take advantage of my staff's accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating."
\u201chttps://t.co/PkVuYI4KHs\u201d— Rep. Gerry Connolly (@Rep. Gerry Connolly) 1684172930
At the time of the assault, Connolly was attending a ribbon-cutting event at a nearby food bank, completely unaware of the events about to transpire in his absence.
According to reports from the U.S. Capitol Police, the perpetrator arrived at Connolly's office shortly before 11 a.m. on Monday.
Displaying a disturbing lack of regard for human life, he approached an intern who was beginning her first day on the job and inquired about the Congressman's whereabouts.
The intern informed the man that Connolly was not present in the office. Enraged, the assailant resorted to violence, battering the unsuspecting intern with the metal baseball bat.
The sound of the attack alerted other staffers, who rushed to the reception area only to find themselves confronted by the assailant's rage. One senior aide sustained a severe blow to the head.
One of the staff members convinced the assailant they would retrieve Connolly for him. This diversion allowed the rest of the staff to find safety and contact the authorities.
Many condemned the attack as spurred by GOP rhetoric that has contributed to more political violence nationwide.
\u201cThere\u2019s no place in our society where violence is an acceptable method of communicating our disagreement.\n\nThe attack today on @GerryConnolly's staff is intolerable. Let us all speak out against violence in all forms.\u201d— Nancy Pelosi (@Nancy Pelosi) 1684188532
\u201cI\u2019m horrified by this attack on @GerryConnolly\u2019s staff at their office in Fairfax.\n\nI\u2019m thinking of their team, and I\u2019m glad to hear that neither team member sustained life-threatening injuries.\u201d— Rep. Abigail Spanberger (@Rep. Abigail Spanberger) 1684175144
\u201cTo show my support and solidarity against political violence for the staffers of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), I offer you how to take the high road with MAGA Republicans, it's called your voice. This right here, NOT savagery. #wtpBlue #DemVoice1 #DemsAct\u201d— Brian Cardone \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Brian Cardone \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1684177550
\u201cAppalled by the horrific attack on @GerryConnolly\u2019s office. Our thoughts & love are with Gerry and his excellent staff. We are relieved the assailant is in custody, and my office is wishing a full & speedy recovery to the brave staff members hospitalized by this cowardly attack.\u201d— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@Rep. Jamie Raskin) 1684185402
\u201cI'm thinking of Rep. @GerryConnolly's team today, and wishing for a full recovery for his two staff members who were senselessly attacked.\n\nPolitical violence has no place in a democracy.\u201d— Gabrielle Giffords (@Gabrielle Giffords) 1684196063
\u201cThis is very, very scary. Sending my best wishes to @GerryConnolly and his team, with hopes for swift recoveries of his staffers who were injured in this violent attack. My thanks to the authorities working to keep everyone safe.\u201d— Rep. Don Beyer (@Rep. Don Beyer) 1684174168
As investigators delve into the motive behind this incident, no clear explanation has yet emerged.
The Capitol Police, working in conjunction with the Fairfax City Police Department, are engaged in a thorough investigation to shed light on the attacker's motivations and any potential connections or prior history.
The assault on Congressman Connolly's staff serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by public officials and their dedicated personnel. In recent years, there has been an alarming increase in incidents involving threats and acts of violence against members of Congress.