'I'm good,' says US Rep. Henry Cuellar after being carjacked at gunpoint in Washington
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Congressman Henry Cuellar says he knew his black belt in karate would be no match for the men who pointed guns at him late Monday near his home in Washington, D.C., so he complied with their demands to take his Toyota crossover.
"Three guys came out of nowhere and they pointed guns at me," the Laredo Democrat told reporters the following day as he returned to work in the U.S. House of Representatives. "I do have a black belt, but I recognize when you got three guns. I looked at one with a gun, another with a gun and one behind me. So they said they wanted my cars, and I said 'sure.'"
Cuellar, 68, was not harmed and appeared upbeat during his short conversation with reporters. Police in Washington, D.C. recovered his vehicle, along with his phone and the sushi takeout that he was bringing home. The men who attacked him were not apprehended as of midday Tuesday, but Cuellar said they were masked and appeared to be young.
"What really got me upset was they took my sushi, but that's something else," Cuellar said with a laugh.
According to The Associated Press, U.S. Capitol Police said officers were being assisted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI in the search for the attackers. Cuellar's vehicle was found abandoned and crime scene technicians were processing the scene, according to the wire report.
“We have a number of leads,” Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said. “Our investigators are focused, determined and working around the clock.”
Cuellar praised the actions of police, noting that he has three brothers in law enforcement. One of them, Martin Cuellar, is sheriff of Webb County where the congressman makes his home.
According to published accounts, police in the nation's capital said the incident happened at 9:30 p.m. at New Jersey Avenue and K Street SE.
Cuellar, a former state representative who later served as Texas state secretary for nine months in 2001, has represented the 28th Congressional District since 2005 and he is considered one of the most conservative Democrats in Washington.
In 2020 and 2022, Cuellar defeated two primary opponents who challenged him from the left without success and the congressman won both general elections. Heading in the 2024 cycle, his former chief of staff, Jose Sanz, has said he'll run as a Republican for Texas' 28th congressional district that's anchored in Laredo.
His office on Tuesday provided background material showing that Cuellar had voted against what the congressman said were measures that were too lenient on violent offenders and worked to pass legislation that rolled back some of the District of Columbia's initiatives
The background material from Cuellar's office said carjacking has gone up 103% in Washington over the past year and violent crime in the district is up 37%.
According to the website, statehood.dc.gov, "Congress reviews all DC legislation before it can become law. Congress can modify or even overturn such legislation. It can impose new and unwanted laws on the District."
Asked how the carjacking affected him emotionally, Cuellar said he's fine.
"I'm good, I'm good," he said. "It's like I said, you got to keep calm under those situations and you analyze the situation quickly."
John C. Moritz covers Texas government and politics for the USA Today Network in Austin. Contact him at jmoritz@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, @JohnnieMo.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Henry Cuellar appears upbeat as he recalls being carjacked at gunpoint
