D.C. police confirm they are investigating an alleged assault of a 27-year-old woman by U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, a Republican representing a district northeast of Orlando, calling it an active criminal investigation.
The Metropolitan Police Department also is investigating its own handling of the incident, which did not result in an arrest.
Police reports obtained by News4 show the alleged incident started at a penthouse in a luxury apartment building in The Wharf area of Southwest at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Mills’ office told NBC News: “This week, law enforcement was asked to resolve a private matter at Congressman Mills’ residence. Congressman Mills vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever, and is confident any investigation will clear this matter quickly.”
The I-Team also reached out Thursday afternoon to the alleged victim, who we’re not naming, but is not the congressman’s wife. In text messages she said: “Yesterday, I contacted law enforcement to address a personal matter… Although the argument was emotionally charged, there was no physical abuse involved.”
But that’s likely not the end of the investigation.
DC police have three police reports on what happened
News 4 obtained multiple copies of the police report, showing varying levels of detail about what allegedly happened inside the apartment and when police arrived.
The first police report, provided to News4 by a source and confirmed by a second source familiar with the investigation, said: “(Her significant other for over a year) grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out of the door.” The report says she showed the officer “bruises on her arm which appeared fresh.”
The first report goes on to note that during a phone call between the significant other and alleged victim, she “let officers hear Subject 1 [now identified by MPD as Mills] instruct her to lie about the origin of her bruises … Eventually, Subject 1 made contact with police and admitted that the situation escalated from verbal to physical, but it was severe enough to create bruising.”
According to the report, the responding police officer told the subject he would be placed under arrest. But then the woman approached police and recanted the details, including where the bruises came from. News4 reached out to the responding officer but has not heard back.
D.C. law says officers shall arrest someone if there is probable cause to believe they committed an intrafamily offense resulting in physical injury, including pain.
A second version of the police report obtained by News4 a day after the alleged incident says only that officers responded for a family disturbance and there was no probable cause for an arrest.
When News4 reached out to D.C. police for comment, they provided a third version of the report Thursday night, which had changed once again, saying officers responded for a report of an assault and that the assault is being investigated.
The multiple reports are now the focus of the D.C. police internal investigation. In a statement, the department tells News4, “Once MPD leadership became aware of this matter there was an immediate review of our initial response to ensure all procedures were followed. MPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is currently investigating this matter.”
Mills is a two-term congressman. Online bios have said he is married and has two children.
Previously, Mills said he might run for the Senate seat left vacant by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
