An FBI employee’s vehicle was carjacked near Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 29, according to officials, marking one of the latest incidents to take place in the nation’s capital as it continues to battle soaring crime.
Officers responded to the armed carjacking incident in the 100 block of 12th St. NE at about 3:45 p.m., according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Police confirmed the victim was a federal agent, who told officials that two suspects had taken the vehicle.
The stolen vehicle was recovered shortly after the incident, in the 1000 block of 15th St. SE, less than a mile from where the car was taken, officials said.
“At this time, we can confirm that an FBI employee was carjacked on the afternoon of November 29,” an FBI spokesperson said in an emailed statement to NBC Washington.
“The vehicle was recovered, and the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force are investigating.”
No further information has been released regarding the two suspects, and officials didn’t provide further details regarding the lead-up to and aftermath of the carjacking.
The incident comes as violent crime rates have surged across Washington in the past year, according to police data, up by 40 percent year over year, with homicides up by 23 percent, robberies up by 69 percent, and arson up by 125 percent.
Assaults with a dangerous weapon are also up by 3 percent in 2023 compared to last year, according to the data, while motor vehicle thefts have surged by 93 percent.
Lawmakers Attacked
So far in 2023, there have been 906 carjackings, compared to 439 last year, according to separate police data, 77 percent of which involved victims being held at gunpoint.
The significant rise in carjackings and auto thefts has prompted police, via an initiative launched by Mayor Muriel Bowser’s government, to hand out auto-tracking devices.
In October, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) revealed he was also the victim of a carjacking near the Capitol, which he said was carried out by three armed assailants.
The lawmaker wasn’t injured during the incident, which took place while he was attempting to park his vehicle outside of his Washington apartment in Navy Yard.
