About the Incident Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon was carjacked at gunpoint in broad daylight Wednesday afternoon in south Philadelphia’s biggest park after a business meeting. The congresswoman was not harmed according to a statement to ABC News by her spokesperson Lauren Cox.
In a statement, Cox said, “Wednesday afternoon, at around 2:45 p.m., Congresswoman Scanlon was carjacked at gunpoint in FDR Park following a meeting at that location. The Congresswoman was physically unharmed. She thanks the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift response, and appreciates the efforts of both the Sergeant at Arms in D.C. and her local police department for coordinating with Philly PD to ensure her continued safety.”
The course of Action Following the Incident
Five accused were taken into custody in Newark, Delaware at 9 p.m. when they were found inside Scanlon’s Acura MDX in a parking area, according to the Delaware State Police. Their names were not revealed.
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Scanlon, who was first elected to Congress in 2018 is under-representation in the 5th Congressional District in Pennsylvania including parts of South Philadelphia. Her spokesperson affirmed that Scanlon’s personal stuff, including her personal and government-issued phones and identification, was stolen by the robbers.
Mayor’s Statement
The mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, deplored the incident, saying, “I’m appalled to learn of this violent crime that was perpetrated against my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon. Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly, as we know, that hasn’t always been the case this year. It’s disheartening, and quite frankly infuriating, that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of tranquility and peace—one of Philadelphia’s beautiful parks. I’m thankful that she was not physically harmed during this incident, and my thoughts are with her during what I’m sure is a traumatic time.
I’m also thankful that our police officers have been working hard to identify violent criminals and get them off our streets. PPD is actively investigating this incident. We simply cannot and will not tolerate any acts of violence. If anyone has any information about this incident—or any other crime—please call or text PPD’s anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS.”
This attack comes amid an atrocious year in Philadelphia which witnessed a rise in both gunpoint robberies and auto thefts. Philadelphia is seeing at least an 80% rise in carjackings in 2021 compared with the total in 2020 according to the Philadelphia police.
