Representative Mary Gay Scanlon Is Carjacked in Philadelphia

U.S.|Congresswoman Is Carjacked astatine Gunpoint successful Philadelphia

Five teenagers were arrested successful Delaware connected Wednesday nighttime aft they were recovered wrong a stolen car belonging to Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, who was carjacked earlier that time successful Philadelphia, the authorities said.

Ms. Scanlon, Democrat of Pennsylvania, was unharmed successful the carjacking, during which she was robbed astatine gunpoint astir 2:45 p.m. connected Wednesday aft leaving a gathering astatine FDR Park successful South Philadelphia, her bureau said successful a statement.

“She acknowledgment the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift effect and appreciates the efforts of some the sergeant-at-arms successful D.C. and her section constabulary section for coordinating with Philly P.D. to guarantee her continued safety,” the connection said.

At astir 9 p.m. connected Wednesday, Ms. Scanlon’s bluish 2017 Acura MDX was recovered successful Newark, Del., astir 40 miles from wherever it was stolen, the Delaware State Police said successful a statement.

Ms. Scanlon had been walking to her car erstwhile she was approached by 2 people, the Philadelphia constabulary said successful a statement. They were equipped and demanded the keys to Ms. Scanlon’s car, the constabulary said. She handed implicit her keys, and past 1 of the attackers drove disconnected successful the car portion the different got successful an S.U.V. and followed the stolen car, the constabulary said.

“I americium relieved that Congresswoman Scanlon was not physically injured, and my thoughts are with her during this hard time,” Philadelphia’s constabulary commissioner, Danielle Outlaw, said successful the statement. “The P.P.D. volition proceed to supply immoderate enactment needed successful this lawsuit and volition enactment diligently alongside our national partners to assistance successful bringing those liable to justice.”

Ms. Outlaw said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had taken the pb successful the investigation. The F.B.I. confirmed that its Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force was moving with the constabulary connected the probe but did not supply further details.

The Delaware State Police said that the 5 suspects were each from Wilmington, Del. One of them, Josiah Brown, 19, who the State Police said successful a connection had been “involved successful the equipped carjacking,” was successful the custody of the F.B.I. for ceremonial charging. The others, ages 13, 14, 15 and 16, were charged with receiving stolen property. The 15-year-old besides was charged with resisting apprehension and transgression mischief, the authorities constabulary said.

As of Sunday, determination had been astir 2,300 gunpoint robberies successful Philadelphia successful 2021, an summation of 28 percent compared with the aforesaid play past year, erstwhile determination were 1,775, according to constabulary data. The fig of gunpoint robberies successful 2020, the archetypal twelvemonth of the coronavirus pandemic, was unusually low. In the 5 erstwhile years, 2,163 to 2,885 gunpoint robberies were reported annually successful the city, according to constabulary data.

Philadelphia’s territory attorney, Larry Krasner, said successful a connection helium was grateful that Ms. Scanlon and an adjutant who was with her during the carjacking were not harmed. “Armed robberies are among the astir superior crimes due to the fact that of the information they airs to victims and the fearfulness they instill successful communities,” Mr. Krasner said.

Ms. Scanlon took bureau successful November 2018 aft a peculiar election. Her territory includes Delaware County and parts of South Philadelphia, Chester County and Montgomery County.