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Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., had to throw his truck in reverse and speed off as he was chased by a woman pointing a gun at him, officials said today.

The congressman was not injured during the incident, which occurred Sunday evening.

Josh Dix, a spokesman for the Congressional freshman, confirmed details of the incident and issued a brief statement on behalf of the congressman.

"Mr. Gowdy is grateful to the Spartanburg Public Safety Department for their help last night and especially for helping make sure his daughter was safe," the statement read. "Given the fact that this is an ongoing investigation with a subsequent prosecution, Mr. Gowdy will not be making any additional comments."

A source close to the congressman says the woman, identified as Gloria Yvonne Brackett from Atlanta, Ga., approached Gowdy as he sat inside his pickup truck Sunday evening in a church parking lot waiting to pick up his daughter. The woman then pointed her gun at Gowdy and demanded that he stop following her, the source said. When Brackett allegedly pointed the gun at Gowdy a second time, the congressman threw his vehicle into reverse to escape the woman, who gave chase on foot but did not fire her weapon.

Sources indicated that the congressman had no prior relationship with Brackett, who was later arrested after Gowdy reported the confrontation. Authorities said Monday that it was unlikely Brackett knew that Gowdy was a member of Congress.

Brackett, 52, has been charged with pointing a gun and illegally carrying a pistol, according to Spartanburg public safety director A. Tony Fisher.

In January 2011, Rep. Gabby Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona, was shot in the head by a deranged constituent. She survived the wound, but resigned her seat in Congress earlier this year.