Lawmaker wounded in Virginia shooting

AT LEAST five people people including a top Republican congressman were wounded in a Washington suburb early yesterday morning when a shooting erupted as they practised for an annual baseball game between lawmakers.

Senior Congressman Steve Scalise was shot in the hip, according to fellow Republican lawmaker Mo Brooks who told CNN at least two law enforcement officers and one congressional staffer were also shot in the incident in Alexandria, Virginia.

“Five people were transported medically from the scene,” Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown said.

Police said the shooting suspect was in custody and “not a threat”.

President Donald Trump said he was closely monitoring the developments in Virginia, and that Scalise, the majority whip who rallies Republican votes in the House of Representatives, was expected to recover.

“Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Trump tweeted.

In a statement earlier, Trump said he was “deeply saddened by this tragedy”, saying his“thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol Police, first responders and all others affected”.

About 25 senators and congressmen were at the practice, according to Senator Jeff Flake who told reporters some 50 shots rang out in the exchange of fire between the gunman and the lawmakers’ security detail, at around 6:30am.

Flake said the suspect was a white man with dark hair, apparently in his 40s or 50s, wearing jeans and a blue shirt.

Asked whether he thought it was a random shooting, Brooks told CNN: “It sure as heck wasn’t an accident.”

“People know this is the Republican baseball team practising,” he said. “You can tell. You can recognise many of us. You can see our security detail.

“It is pretty well known at the neighborhood who those folks are on the baseball field and where we practise. He knew who we were. I’m a former prosecutor and, yeah, he was going after elected officials, congressmen.”

Scalise, a representative from the southern state of Louisiana elected in 2008, heads the conservative House caucus known as the Republican Study Committee. He among the lawmakers leading the drive to repeal for mer President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, among other top Republican priorities.