Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Photo: Wiki Commons)
June 17, 2019 By Shane O’Brien
Police arrested a 27-year-old man who barged into the Jackson Heights office building of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Saturday and refused to leave when he was asked by security.
Douala Hashi, of Washington D.C., walked into the 74-09 37 Ave. building shortly after 4.40 p.m. on Saturday and soon became embroiled in an argument with security guards.
Hashi, 27, proceeded to the third floor of the building which prompted security to call the police.
Responding officers observed Hashi holding a fire extinguisher which he discharged they approached him, according to the NYPD.
The NYPD said that the Congresswoman’s office was not breached in the trespassing and that the crime was not being classified as breaking and entering.
Hashi was taken into custody and transferred to Elmhurst General Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. He has been charged with three counts of criminal mischief, two counts of trespassing and one count of menacing.
Ocasio-Cortez was in Washington when the event occurred and is not thought to have any ties to Hashi.
“It appears to have been a coincidence that this happened in our building,” Corbin Trent, spokesman for Ocasio-Cortez, told NBC. “We are glad that it was resolved peacefully.”
