Five Arrested in Gunpoint Carjacking of Rep. Scanlon in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — Five people – four men and a woman – were arrested Wednesday night in connection to the carjacking at gunpoint of Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon.

Delaware State Police and the FBI discovered the Pennsylvania Democrat’s stolen Acura MDX near the Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware, just off Interstate-95.

They did not immediately announce the charges against those arrested or provide details of their alleged involvement.

Scanlon, who is completing her first term in Congress, was carjacked after participating in a meeting with other elected officials regarding constituent concerns about the development of a large public greenspace in her district.

FDR Park is a popular and heavily used park near Lincoln Financial Field where the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles play, and the Wells Fargo Center, home of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.

Also nearby in the sports megacomplex is Citizens Bank Park, home of MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies.

According to a statement provided to The Well News by the Philadelphia Police Department, Scanlon, whose district represents parts of South Philadelphia and Delaware County, had been accompanied to the meeting by a staffer, but the two drove separately.

Scanlon was leaving the meeting at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon when she was approached by two armed men who demanded the keys to her car and her belongings.

Scanlon handed over her purse and its contents, which included her personal cell phone, federal government cell phone and congressional ID, and the two men drove away in her 2017 Acura.

Scanlon was not injured.

“She’s physically OK, but her vehicle and possessions are gone,” her spokesperson, Lauren Cox, said.

In a statement, Scanlon thanked the Philadelphia Police Department for their swift response and said she appreciates the efforts of both the Sergeant at Arms at the U.S. Capitol and her local police department for working with the Philadelphia Police Department to ensure her continued safety.

As word spread of what had happened to the congresswoman, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney issued a statement that said “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,” the mayor said.

Also speaking up about the incident was Scanlon’s Philadelphia area colleague Rep. Brendan Boyle who tweeted “Wishing my colleague and good friend @RepMGS the very best. She’s Philly tough so I know she will be ok!”

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