Recent assaults, attempted attacks against Congress and staffers raise concerns

U.S. Capitol Police found the razor nearby, but not the suspected attacker. Three young women who work for Rep. Mike Carey, an Ohio Republican, made a late afternoon three-block trek to a coffee shop on Capitol Hill in September, the congressman told a House panel this week. A man lunged at them with a razor and threatened to attack. The women were uninjured, but shaken by the incident, an office spokesperson said.

The attempted assault is one of a recent series of attacks or crimes committed against congressional staff or lawmakers, outside of the immediate Capitol complex, since the beginning of 2023. Several of the incidents were violent, according to court filings and police reports reviewed by CBS News.

Amid concerns about the recent reports, the House Committee on Administration called the U.S. Capitol Police chief to testify Thursday about crime risks facing those who work at the Capitol complex.  Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said new initiatives are being launched to help protect the thousands of people who work on Capitol Hill from being targeted or assaulted near the complex or in their hometown offices.