Christopher Rodriguez, a long-time member of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration and the newly appointed assistant city administrator, was arrested on assault charges last week related to a domestic violence incident at his D.C. home.

Rodriguez was placed on leave from his position Friday afternoon, according to a spokesperson for Bowser’s office who could not comment further. The U.S. Attorney for D.C. decided not to pursue misdemeanor simple assault charges filed by police, according to a USAO spokesperson.

Police responded to Rodriguez’s residence in Northwest D.C. around 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 2. His wife reported that Rodriguez had “pushed her to the ground with both hands,” according to the police report; he was charged with simple assault domestic violence and transported to the Second District Station.

In a statement on Sunday night, lawyers for both Rodriguez and his wife, Amanda Rodriguez, said “neither party physically harmed the other, nor did they intend for any party to be arrested as a result of their verbal dispute.”

“Dr. Rodriguez and Mrs. Rodriguez agree that a family medical emergency has created extreme stress and anxiety, and they wish to prioritize their children’s health and wellbeing,” reads the statement. “Mrs. Rodriguez did not encourage nor request any charges to be brought against Dr. Rodriguez, and the charges against him were dropped. Both parties wish to move forward to work amicably, and they request privacy at this time to focus on their children.”

Prior to his role as assistant city administrator, Rodriguez served as the director of D.C.’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency for several years. He played a significant role in the city’s COVID-19 response, regularly appearing at press conferences and taking questions from both the public and reporters, and also led the city’s response in the Jan. 6 insurrection aftermath.

But his recent arrest is not his first brush with allegedly questionable conduct; while at HSEMA, Rodriguez was accused of favoring younger, white employees over older, Black employees. Earlier this year, a former HSEMA employee filed a lawsuit alleging a wrongful firing that constituted race and age discrimination under Rodriguez’s leadership.

Rodriguez’s arrest completes a troubling trifecta of recent departures and otherwise unsavory behavior by top officials in Bowser’s cabinet. In 2022, former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Chris Geldart resigned from his role after an altercation in a Gold’s Gym parking resulted in a charge of assault and battery for the then-deputy mayor. (The charge was later dropped.)

John Falcicchio, Bowser’s former deputy mayor for planning and economic development and longtime aide abruptly resigned in March last year amid investigations into allegations of sexual harassment, allegations that were later substantiated.