Washington, Feb 10 (IANS): A man has been arrested and charged for assaulting US Congresswoman Angie Craig in the elevator of her apartment building in Washington, D.C., authorities said.

Following the attack on Thursday, Craig's chief of staff Nick Coe said the Minnesota Democrat "defended herself from the attacker and suffered bruising, but is otherwise physically okay", Xinhua news agency report.

"The assailant fled the scene of the assault," Coe said, adding that "there is no evidence that the incident was politically motivated".

In a statement late Thursday, DC Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that Kendrick Hamlin, also known as Hamlin Khalil Hamlin, was arrested and charged with simple assault.

According to the Department, the 26-year-old has no fixed address, reports CNN.

According to a police report, Craig told authorities that her assailant had followed her into the elevator, punched her "with a closed fist" and grabbed her neck.

She defended herself by "tossing her hot coffee" at him, the report stated.

Later in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris "called to check in on RCraig and wish her well", an informed source said.

Harris told Craig to, "do what's needed to take care of herself given the trauma", CNN quoted the source as saying

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the attack, saying in a statement that "the House Democratic Caucus family is horrified" by what happened.

"We are all very grateful that she is safe and recovering, but appalled that this terrifying assault took place."

The incident comes at a time of heightened concern over the safety of lawmakers and their families in the wake of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol as well as more recent events like the high-profile attack on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband.

Craig was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 after defeating Republican Representative Jason Lewis.

In the 118th Congress, the Congresswoman serves as a co-chairwoman of the Congressional Equality Caucus.