Rifle-wielding gunman wounds lawmaker, then killed by police
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A riflewielding attacker opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice Wednesday, wounding House GOP Whip Steve Scalise, of Louisiana, and several others as congressmen and aides dove for cover. The assailant, prepared with “a lot of ammo,” fought a gun battle with police before he, too, was shot and later died.
Colleagues said Scalise dragged himself away from the infield leaving a trail of blood as they rushed to his assistance. He was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition. His office said that before surgery for a wound in his hip he was in good spirits and spoke with his wife by telephone.
The shooter was identified as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-yearold home inspector from Illinois who had several minor run-ins with the law in recent years and belonged to a Facebook group called “Terminate the Republican Party.”
Shortly after the shooting, Bernie Sanders, the former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, said on the Senate floor that the shooter apparently was a volunteer for his campaign last year. Sanders said he denounced the violence “in the strongest possible terms.”
Capitol Police officers who were in Scalise’s security detail wounded the shooter, who was taken into custody. He later died of his injuries, President Donald Trump told the nation from the White House.
“Everyone on that field is a public servant,” Trump said. “Their sacrifice makes democracy possible.”
Scalise, 51, the No. 3 House Republican leader, was first elected to the House in 2008. The popular and gregarious lawmaker is known for his love of baseball and handed out commemorative bats when he secured the No. 3 job of House whip several years ago.
Texas Rep. Roger Williams, who coaches the GOP team, said that one of his aides, Zack Barth, was shot, but “is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.” Two Capitol Police officers were also injured but were expected to recover, along with a former congressional aide who was hospitalized.
Rep. Jeff Duncan, of South Carolina, said he had just left the practice and encountered the apparent gunman in the parking lot before the shooting. The man calmly asked which party’s lawmakers were practicing and Duncan told him they were the Republicans. The man thanked him.
The gunman had a rifle and “a lot of ammo,” said Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who was at the practice.
The shocking event left the Capitol horrified and stunned. The House cancelled proceedings for the day. Speaker Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin, and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, both spoke on the floor issuing calls for unity. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us,” Ryan said.
The shooting occurred at a popular park and baseball complex in Alexandria, Virginia, where Republican lawmakers and others were gathered for a morning practice about 7 a.m. They were in good spirits despite the heat and humidity as they prepared for the congressional baseball match that pits Republicans against Democrats. The popular annual face-off, which raises money for charity, is scheduled for Thursday evening at Nationals Park across the Potomac River in Washington, and will go forward as planned.
The team was taking batting practice when gunshots rang out and chaos erupted.
Scalise was fielding balls on second base when he was shot, according to lawmakers present, then dragged himself into the outfield to get away from the gunman.
Rep. Mo Brooks, an Alabama Republican, said his colleague “crawled into the outfield, leaving a trail of blood.”
“We started giving him the liquids, I put pressure on his wound in his hip,” Brooks said.