Irish American Congressman’s staffers assaulted by man with metal baseball bat

Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly's staffers were attacked by a man wielding a metal baseball bat today, Monday, May 15, police confirmed.

City of Fairfax Police in Virginia said they responded to an active assault at 10680 Main Street Suite #140, Representative Connolly's office, just before 11 am on Monday. 

An investigation revealed that the suspect, Xuan-Kha Tran Pham, 49, of Fairfax, entered Representative Connolly’s District Office and assaulted two Congressional staffers with a metal baseball bat.

The two staffers received non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital. One police officer also sustained a minor injury and is receiving medical treatment.

Congressman Connolly was not in the office at the time of the assaults. Pham was taken into police custody at the scene within five minutes of police receiving the call.

The Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case and obtained warrants for one count of felony Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Malicious Wounding. Pham was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and held without bond.

Police said no motive had yet been determined and that they were coordinating with the United States Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office.

Responding to Monday's incident, Representative Connolly said in a statement: "This morning, an individual entered my District Office armed with a baseball bat and asked for me before committing an act of violence against two members of my staff.

"The individual is in police custody and both members of my team were transferred to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

"Right now, our focus is on ensuring they are receiving the care they need. We are incredibly thankful to the City of Fairfax Police Department and emergency medical professionals for their quick response.

“I have the best team in Congress. My District Office staff make themselves available to constituents and members of the public every day. The thought that someone would take advantage of my staff’s accessibility to commit an act of violence is unconscionable and devastating.”

Connolly, a Democrat who sits on the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus, said in 2011 that he introduced the "Irish-American Recognition and Respect Act" to make every March 17, St. Patrick's Day, a federal holiday. 

This past March, Connolly hosted his 29th annual "St. Patrick's Day Fete." The event usually draws about 1,000 attendees.

At his 2015 event, Connolly met a couple who were there on their fourth date; the following year, he married the couple, describing himself as an "Irish Yenta."