Victim In Baseball Bat Attack On Congressional Staff Still Recovering

FAIRFAX, VA — A Congressional staff member who was struck in the head with a baseball bat in May continues to undergo therapy for the aftereffects of the concussion she suffered in the attack at Rep. Gerry Connolly's city of Fairfax district office, the staffer testified Monday.

The testimony was offered at a preliminary hearing as prosecutors sought to show there is enough evidence to move forward with the aggravated malicious wounding charge for the bat attack on the staffer by Xuan Kha Tran Pham, 49, of Fairfax.

Since his arrest, Pham has primarily been held in a state psychiatric hospital, NBC Washington reported. His defense attorney said if the case goes to trial, she will seek to show Pham should be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Before attacking two members of Rep. Gerry Connolly's staff with a baseball bat on May 15, the suspect chased a woman in Chantilly with a bat, authorities said. And family members said the accused man has a history of mental illness.

A staffer and new intern of Rep. Gerry Connolly were attacked by Pham, who wielded a baseball bat in his City of Fairfax district office, police said. A motive for the assault remains unknown.

Connolly (D-Fairfax) said that a man armed with a bat entered the 10680 Main St. office that morning asking for the congressman. The two staffers who were struck by the assailant were taken to an area hospital for treatment.

The congressman was not in the office at the time of the assaults. Connolly later told CNN he was at a food bank ribbon cutting when the attack happened.

Connolly called it "unconscionable and devastating" for an act of violence for office staff who assist constituents. The congressman represents a large share of Fairfax County in the 11th congressional district.

Pham's father, Hy Pham, told The Washington Post his son has schizophrenia and has been affected by mental illness dating back to his teen years. The father had been attempting to get mental health care for his son, who couldn't work because of his mental health state.

A neighbor told NBC Washington the father went to neighbors saying his son had mental health concerns but wouldn't harm people.

Xuan-Kha Pham had charges dropped in an incident at his home involving a struggle with Fairfax County police officers in January 2022. According to the Post, police said Xuan-Kha Pham tried to avoid officers and attempted to take an officer's stun gun when officers said they wanted to take him to a mental health facility.

The Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney dropped charges relating to assaults on officers and attempting to take the stun gun under an agreement for Xuan-Kha Pham to receive mental health services.

Before showing up to Connolly's district office, Xuan-Kha Pham was involved in another crime that day, according to Fairfax County Police. Police told Patch in an email that a man approached a woman parked near Maylock Lane and Point Pleasant Drive in the Chantilly area. The man asked the woman if she was white before hitting her vehicle windshield with the bat and fleeing. The woman was not injured.

Police identified Xuan-Kha Pham as the suspect and obtained warrants charging him with hate crime and felony destruction of property.

The Associated Press said home surveillance footage from a neighbor in that area showed the man chasing a screaming woman.