PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — The elected clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County said she was carjacked at gunpoint this week near the Woodmore Town Center in Largo, becoming the latest victim of a violent crime she oversees in her role at the courthouse.
Mahasin El Amin said the carjacking happened near Route 202 when she briefly stopped her vehicle to take a phone call. A man approached her car, opened the door, and threatened her with a gun, she said.
“The next thing you know, he opens up my car door,” El Amin said. “He had his hands in his pockets, a face mask, a hoodie — a brown hoodie — and I’m like, ‘I’m getting carjacked,’ and then I just freaked out.”
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The man told El Amin to get out of the car and then drove away in her white 2014 Lexus IS 250, she said.
“It’s the scariest thing that ever happened to me in my life,” El Amin said. “It was so quick — just like that — and all the thoughts like, ‘I’m literally going to die.’”
El Amin, who is elected countywide and is currently running for re-election, said none of her professional experience prepared her for what it felt like to be on the other side of a violent crime.
As clerk of the Circuit Court, El Amin is responsible for maintaining court records and overseeing court administration. She said the experience has given her a new perspective on the fear and trauma faced daily by crime victims who pass through the courthouse.
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While statistics show carjackings are down in Prince George’s County, El Amin said her experience is a reminder that the crimes are still occurring and that accountability is essential.
“I do think in order to curb crime, you need to be held accountable,” El Amin said. “And as a victim of a violent crime, I want my perpetrator to be held accountable, and that is a deterrent.”
El Amin said she hopes speaking publicly will raise awareness and encourage people to remain cautious, even in heavily traveled areas.
Prince George’s County Police have confirmed they responded to a carjacking at the time and place El Amin reports, but will not comment or confirm the identity of the victims. So far, no arrests have been made, and El Amin says her car is still missing.
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