According to a new report, the man charged with assaulting Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) last week has a history of menacing and sometimes violent incidents in the Capitol Hill community, where he is alleged to have attacked the congresswoman.
Craig shared information about the attack after it happened on Thursday morning last week, saying that the man allegedly came after her in the elevator of her Capitol Hill apartment complex. The suspected attacker was arrested on Thursday afternoon.
The man arrested for the attack is 26-year-old Kendrid Hamlin, who faces charges that he struck Craig in the face with a closed fist after she said she would not let him into her apartment.
A police affidavit obtained by CBS News says that Hamlin placed his hands on Craig’s shoulders, grabbing her collarbone so that she couldn’t reach for the elevator keypad to get off.
Hamlin is scheduled to appear in court for the charges on Monday.
Court records reviewed by CBS News say that since 2015, Hamlin has been involved in several criminal cases, many of which have involved arrests that occurred close to the Capitol.
During an altercation last November, Hamlin was accused of spitting blood at several Capitol Police officers while they attempted to check on his well-being. Weeks prior to that incident, Hamlin was accused of theft from a Capitol Hill supermarket, where police said he filled a bag with frozen food and cigarettes before bolting out of the building, CBS News reported.
Hamline was brought before a judge for both instances but only served 35 days after pleading guilty to the charges. The sentence was for the charges brought against him for spitting at the officers, while the theft charges were dropped, the report shares.
Late last year, he also pleaded guilty to engaging in a lewd, obscene sexual act while in northwest Washington, D.C. In that instance, he did not appear in court and had a bench warrant issued for his arrest, which was the first time, CBS News reported.
The CBS News report shares that Hamlin is believed to be homeless and that his criminal activity began in 2015.
As for last Thursday’s alleged attack, a police affidavit says the incident occurred just after 7 a.m. when Hamlin asked to use Craig’s bathroom. She said no, causing him to attack her, before she was forced to throw her coffee at him, allowing her to exit on a floor.
“As the doors opened on a floor, [Craig] exited and began to yell for help. Hamlin exited the elevator and ran down the stairs to exit the building,” the affidavit says, CBS News reported.
“My morning coffee really saved me yesterday, but not exactly how I expected to,” Craig said in a statement on Friday, thanking those who had reached out and local law enforcement for their response.
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