A gunman opened fire on the GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, VA. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and numerous aides were shot. From Fox News:
The shots were reported on East Monroe Street in Del Ray, Alexandria police said on Twitter at 7:30 a.m. The location was near a YMCA.Scalise, 51, is the House majority whip. He has represented Louisiana’s First Congressional District since 2008 and chairs the House Republican Study Committee. He is married with two children. Scalise’s district includes New Orleans.
NBC News now reporting that everyone is in stable condition.
Alexandria Police Department Chief Michael Brown updated the media:
U.S. Capitol Police shot the gunman, took him into custody, and transported him to the hospital. Fox News continued:
Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., told Fox News he left just before the shooting. As he walked to his car, a man asked DeSantis if it was Republicans or Democrats practicing. About three minutes the shooting began, DeSantis said.The shooting began at 7:15 a.m. and lasted about 10 minutes, sources told Fox News.”Behind third base, I see a rifle…I hear Steve Scalise over near 2nd base scream,” Brooks told CNN.
From the Associated Press:
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., said several other people also were hit, including two law enforcement officers. Brooks said that Scalise, 51, was down on the ground with what Brooks described as “a hip wound.”Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Mich., said Scalise was standing on second base when he was shot.”I was looking right at him,” Bishop told Detroit radio station WWJ. “He was a sitting duck.”Brooks said the Scalise “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.
Statement from Scalise’s office:
The Washington Post has identified the gunman as James T. Hodgkinson from Belleville, IL:
Hodgkinson, 66, owns a home inspection business. His home inspection license expired in November 2016 and was not renewed, state records show.Hodgkinson was charged in April 2006 with battery and aiding damage to a motor vehicle, according to online records in St. Clair County, Illinois. The charges were dismissed, records show.
(H/T to @galtsgirl for sending me this info)
Hodgkinson supported and volunteered on Sen. Bernie Sander’s presidential campaign. Sanders released this statement:
He also donated some money to the presidential campaign.
Sen. Rand Paul heaped praise on the Capitol Police:
Sen. Jeff Flake stated that other members couldn’t get to Scalise for about 10 minutes because it was unsafe:
House Democrats at the field praying for their colleague:
*Post will be updated as more information comes in.
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