Former California Sen. Barbara Boxer, 80, was assaulted and robbed in Oakland on Monday, according to a tweet posted from her account.
She was not seriously injured, the tweet said.
The assault and robbery happened in the 300 block of Third Street. The attacker pushed her in the back and stole her cellphone before jumping in a waiting car.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
"Unfortunately I’m not surprised," said Dereck Johnson, owner of the Home of Chicken and Waffles in Jack London Square. The restaurant if just two blocks away from where Boxer was assaulted and robbed.
"Robberies, car break-ins and jacks in Oakland have gotten out of control and we have to do something about it, as a community," he said.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Johnson added that crimes like that happens all the time but he hopes this assault on a public figure will be a wake up call for action.
"We need to work together with law enforcement beef up so we don’t have these issues in our city," he said.
Mayor Libby Schaaf released a statement saying she was deeply troubled to learn of the assault and robbery of Boxer.
She spoke with the senator’s family to extend her well wished for a speedy recovery.
Further information was not immediately available.
