WASHINGTON — Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., was carjacked at gunpoint in a park in Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, her spokeswoman said in a statement.
The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. at FDR Park in South Philadelphia, where Scanlon had been attending a meeting earlier, said the spokeswoman, Lauren Cox. Scanlon was unharmed, Cox said in a statement.
"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 statement said.
Two armed men approached Scanlon and demanded the keys to her vehicle — a blue 2017 Acura MDX. Scanlon surrendered the keys, and one of the two men drove off with her car. The second man entered a separate vehicle and followed the first man, Philadelphia police said.
Scanlon's Acura was found at a shopping center in Newark, Delaware, around 9 p.m., and five people inside it were taken into custody, Delaware State Police said.
They were not immediately identified. The investigation is ongoing, and additional details will be released once they are available, state police said.
One suspect, Josiah Brown, 19, of Wilmington, was arrested in connection with the incident on charges of carjacking and carrying and using a firearm, said the Department of Justice in a statement on Thursday. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon and is currently detained.
During the robbery in Philadelphia, several personal and work items were also taken with the vehicle.
“I am relieved that Congresswoman Scanlon was not physically injured, and my thoughts are with her during this difficult time,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said earlier that his office was working with police to find the robbers.
"I am extremely grateful that Congresswoman Scanlon and an aide who was accompanying her were not physically harmed today," Krasner said.
Scanlon, who is in her second term, represents Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District, covering Delaware County, parts of south and southwest Philadelphia and small parts of Chester and Montgomery counties.
