Police call it the first serious attack on the National Mall in several years. And it happened in broad daylight just as a busy tourist season is about to get under way.
At about 5:15 p.m. Monday, a 50-year-old man was walking between the Hirshhorn Museum and the Smithsonian Castle when two masked men assaulted him from behind. U.S. Park Police said the men rifled through the victim's pockets, but ran when they didn’t find anything.
Soon after getting the call, police launched a helicopter to search for the men and swarmed the area with officers. The two masked men were already gone however, last seen running west down Independence Avenue.
“The Mall is very safe,” Park Police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser said. “In this particular offense there was no weapon displayed. But anytime there is a crime against a person we’re going to take that quite seriously and we’re going to investigate that very, very diligently.”
News of the incident had many visiting the heart of the nation’s capital on edge. But a police officer visiting from Louisiana said you have to constantly be aware of your surroundings, no matter where you are.
“To me, no matter how great or bad a place is, it never totally escapes crime,” William Mott said.
The attack is still under investigation, and police say they plan on reviewing surveillance tape from nearby federal buildings to try to identify the attackers. If you were on the Mall at the time and saw anything suspicious, police want to hear from you. You can call their anonymous tip line at 202-610-8737.
