Former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer was assaulted and robbed Monday in Oakland, California, her son said.

       The assault happened in the Jack London Square neighbourhood, according to a tweet on Boxer’s verified Twitter account.

       “The assailant pushed her in the back, stole her cellphone and jumped in a waiting car,” the tweet said. “She is thankful that she was not seriously injured.”

       The tweet was confirmed via e-mail by Boxer’s son, Douglas Boxer, an attorney.

       Responding to multiple media inquiries, the Oakland Police Department confirmed a robbery at about 1:15 p.m. in the area, but didn’t identify the victim.

       The suspect fled in a waiting vehicle, police said. The robbery is under investigation.

       Boxer, 80, represented California in the U.S. Senate from 1993 until 2017. The Democrat did not seek re-election in 2016.

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