Man Accused Of Attacking Congresswoman In Her Apartment Building Pleads Guilty

He faces up to 11 years in prison for assaulting Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and two law enforcement officers in February.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), seen here in July 2022 speaking at a U.S. Capitol event, was assaulted in the elevator of her Washington apartment building last February. Kendrid Khalil Hamlin pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting a member of Congress and assaulting law enforcement officers.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), seen here in July 2022 speaking at a U.S. Capitol event, was assaulted in the elevator of her Washington apartment building last February. Kendrid Khalil Hamlin pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting a member of Congress and assaulting law enforcement officers.
J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press

The man who was accused of attacking Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) in the elevator of her Washington apartment building in February pleaded guilty Thursday to the three charges he faced, CNN reported.

Kendrid Hamlin could get up to 11 years behind bars — up to 10 years for attacking a member of Congress and up to six months each for attacking two members of law enforcement after his attack on Craig. Hamlin’s sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 15.

On the morning of Feb. 9, Hamlin approached Craig in an elevator demanding that he use the bathroom in her apartment, according to CNN’s report. When she denied his request, he reportedly blocked the elevator doors and punched her in the face, according to the report.

Craig was able to escape after pouring her hot coffee on him, according to CBS News.

Prosecutors said that Hamlin also reportedly attacked police officers — biting one and kicking the other — as he attempted to escape, CNN added.

At the time of the incident, Craig’s office said there was no reason to believe the attack was politically motivated.

Hamlin, who was 26 at the time of the attack, may have been experiencing homelessness and had had several encounters with the law, some violent, for roughly a decade, CBS News reported. Hamlin’s attorney told CNN that he was suffering from mental health issues.

Craig, who did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on Thursday, is recovering from an ankle injury and a subsequent surgery after a fall in her home.

Craig has been in the House since 2018, when she made history as the first openly lesbian mother in Congress and the first LGBTQ person to represent Minnesota. Before entering politics, Craig had worked as a reporter and as the head of global HR and corporate relations for a major manufacturer in her state.

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