OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Five suspects have been arrested and are in custody after Democrat United States Congresswoman who cosponsored a ‘police reform’ bill, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, was carjacked.
The representative and her staffer were walking to her vehicle when they were approached by two men in an SUV who demanded her keys, NBC 10 Philadelphia reported.
“(On) Wednesday afternoon, at around 2:45 p.m., Congresswoman Scanlon was carjacked at gunpoint in FDR Park following a meeting at that location,” her spokesperson Lauren Cox said to CNN.
“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,” she said.
Others weighed in on the carjacking.
“I am relieved that Congresswoman Scanlon was not physically injured, and my thoughts are with her during this difficult time,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.
“I’m appalled to learn of this violent crime that was perpetrated against my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon. My thoughts are with her during what I’m sure is a traumatic time,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly that hasn’t always been the case this year. It’s disheartening and infuriating that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of peace—one of our city’s parks.
“.@phillypolice has been working tirelessly to identify violent criminals and get them off our streets. We 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,” he said.
.@phillypolice has been working tirelessly to identify violent criminals and get them off our streets. We 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.
— Jim #VaxUpPhilly Kenney (@PhillyMayor) December 22, 2021
CBS Philly reported on the increase in carjackings in Philadelphia.
The number of carjackings in the city is increasing at an alarming rate, and in at least three recent incidents, weapons were involved.
Surveillance video of an early morning carjacking in Holmesburg shows the victim running away from the suspects.
Police say the suspects knew the victim’s routine and waited for the man and his girlfriend to come out to move their Dodge Chargers.
The thieves only got away with one of the cars, but not before police say they shot the 31-year-old man.
But she was not the only Democrat politician to be carjacked this week as Democrat cities become more lawless, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
According to the Broadview Police Department the incident happened around 9:45 p.m. in the 2000-block of South 20th Avenue.
Police said three men driving a Durango took a black Mercedez Benz SUV that belonged to Lightford, police said. The state senate majority leader was dropping her hairstylist off at her home when the incident occurred.
“She came in the house and she was saying, ‘they’re hijacking the car, hijacking the car,'” witness Cynthia Boyd said.
Three men got out of a Dodge Durango and surrounded the State senator and her husband who were in their SUV.
“They had guns at her!” Boyd said “All three of them had a gun and was pointing guns at her and at her husband.”
A hairstylist ran inside as the carjackers harassed the state senator and her husband.
“She was saying, ‘Don’t shoot my husband, please don’t shoot my husband. Take whatever you want,'” the witness said. “So they took her purse, and they took the car, and everything that was in the car, and they took off.”
There were gunshots fired during the incident but police did not say who fired them.
“The senator and her husband, Eric McKennie, who were together during the incident were unharmed,” police said.
No one was injured in the incident.
“First and foremost I am thankful that my husband and I are alive and physically unharmed. I am trying to process the trauma of what happened. I want to thank everyone who has offered their love and support. I want to especially thank Mayor Katrina Thompson and the Broadview Police Department for their quick and thorough response,” the state senator said.
Both Democrats have been staunch supporters of police reform, Fox News reported.
Scanlon is one of 125 co-sponsors of the Mental Health Justice Act, which aimed to place some police officers as first responders with mental health specialists. All of the bill’s sponsors are Democrats. The bill’s text says its purpose is “To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to States and political subdivisions of States to hire, employ, train, and dispatch mental health professionals to respond in lieu of law enforcement officers in emergencies involving one or more persons with a mental illness or an intellectual or developmental disability, and for other purposes.”
At the time the Mental Health Justice Act was introduced in February 2021, with Scanlon on board as one of its original co-sponsors, The Hill reported, “Congress wants to make it easier for state and local governments to defund the police by instead funding mental health services and empowering them to respond to emergency calls instead of armed officers.”
