The Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) was carjacked in broad daylight Wednesday afternoon after touring FDR Park in South Philly:
Scanlon and other elected officials met to discuss constituent concerns around ongoing development plans for FDR Park.
The congressional lawmaker, whose district represents parts of South Philadelphia and Delaware County, was accompanied by another member of her staff, but the two drove separately, according to office spokesperson Lauren Cox.
Around 2:45 p.m., Scanlon was walking alone back to her car on the 1900 block of Pattison Avenue when she was approached by two armed men who demanded her car keys and personal belongings, according to Cox.
A spokesperson for the congresswoman told the paper that Scanlon was “physically OK, but her vehicle and possessions are gone.”
“[Scanlon] thanks the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift response, and appreciates the efforts of both the Sergeant at Arms in DC and her local police department for coordinating with Philly PD to ensure her continued safety,” the spokeswoman added.
The arrest comes as Philadelphia grapples with how to deal with rising crime.
Recently, the city surpassed 500 homicides committed in the year 2021, with advocacy groups blaming Philadelphia’s District Attorney Larry Krasner — a George-Soros-backed progressive who is viewed as soft on crime.
Gabe Kaminsky reported in September that Krasner has dramatically reduced prosecutions:
Recent data indicate that Philadelphia, where crime declined in the early 2010s, is now the second-deadliest city in the United States behind Chicago. As the Philadelphia Inquirer recently put it, “There’s only been one day so far this year – Jan. 2 – when not a single person was shot in the city.” The city experienced a 30-year homicide high in 2020. So far this year, homicides are up more than 24% and shootings more than 25%, according to data from the Philadelphia Police Department.
“The epidemic of gun violence in Philadelphia is out of control and our elected officials in the city need to step up and take responsibility,” said Nick Gerace, a retired longtime Philadelphia police officer and president of Protect Our Police PAC.
Prosecutions have fallen dramatically under Larry Krasner, the city’s progressive district attorney who has sparred with [Philadelphia Mayor Jim] Kenney. As it stands, 65% of gun charges have been dismissed or withdrawn this year, marking a 17% increase since 2015. In 2015, there were 375 guilty pleas; in 2020, just 148.
Likewise, The Daily Wire recently reported that the city is suffering a police staffing shortage after budget cuts to police departments last year:
Philadelphia is one of many major cities in the midst of a staffing shortage after [Mayor Jim] Kenney agreed to cut $14 million from the police budget and eliminate a $19 million funding increase, on top of the city council’s decision to cut $33 million of funding for fiscal year 2021. The city has also restricted the ability of police officers to pull over individuals for minor traffic violations.
This is a developing story; refresh page for updates.