Democratic congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia says she was knocked unconscious and sexually assaulted while repairing campaign signs overnight in Sun City, prompting an active Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
Greene-Placentia, the Democratic candidate in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, told ABC15 Arizona she was alone near 99th Avenue and Bell Road early Aug. 14. She said she routinely fixed signs at night to avoid summer heat and traffic and was usually accompanied by her husband, a staffer or a volunteer.
She said someone struck her in the head, causing her to lose consciousness. When she awoke, she said one man was sexually assaulting her and a second approached. Greene-Placentia said she fought back before both men fled, leaving her bruised and with gaps in her memory. The Associated Press reported that police records describe injuries including a bump on her head and bruising on her arms.
Greene-Placentia reported the attack Aug. 31. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed the report and ongoing investigation but declined to release additional information. She said embarrassment and anger initially kept her from seeking medical care or immediately contacting law enforcement.
The candidate first shared her account publicly with Phoenix New Times and said she chose to speak out after realizing that her campaign promises to fight for Arizonans felt incomplete if she remained silent about sexual violence. “Speaking up was me taking it back,” she told ABC15.
Greene-Placentia said she does not know whether she was recognized or politically targeted and believes the assault may have been a crime of opportunity. She is challenging Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh, who called for authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and obtain any available surveillance footage.
No suspect has been publicly identified. People affected by sexual violence can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE.
