FBI agent carjacked at gunpoint in Washington D.C. amid city's rise in stolen vehicles

A Federal Bureau of Investigations agent was carjacked at gunpoint in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, the latest in a sharp spike in vehicle robberies in the nation's capital.

The FBI confirmed that one of its agents was carjacked on Wednesday afternoon. Two armed people conducted the carjacking, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement to USA TODAY.

MPD said officers responded to the carjacking at around 3:45 p.m. and the vehicle was recovered less than 30 minutes later at 4:10 p.m..

FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department's Carjacking Task Force are investigating.

The incident comes as the nation's capital experiences a 107% rise in carjackings this year from 2022. So far in 2023, there have been 911 such incidents, according to data from MPD, 77% of which involved firearms.

Just last month, Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar was carjacked at gunpoint by three men near the Capitol Building. Cuellar was parking his car when three assailants approached him and stole his car. The congressman was not harmed.

Congressman's car stolen at gunpoint:Rep. Henry Cuellar carjacked in Washington, D.C. by 3 armed robbers