Advertisement
Tech

Rep. Steve Scalise, 4 others shot in Virginia

This story is developing.

Photo of David Covucci

David Covucci

Steve Scalise at CPAC

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and four others were shot in Alexandria, Virginia, Wednesday morning after a gunman approached the congressman and his staff at a community baseball field and opened fire, according to police and multiple eyewitness accounts.

Featured Video

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who was at the field, confirmed the shooting, which took place at approximately 7:15am ET. The shooting reportedly lasted as long as 1o minutes, according to eyewitnesses. “Behind third base, I see a rifle. … I hear Steve Scalise over near 2nd base scream,” Brooks told CNN.

Scalise’s office said in a statement that the congressman is undergoing surgery and is in stable condition.

Advertisement

According to Brooks, the gunman fired 50 or more shots. Scalise was reportedly shot in the hip, according to Brooks’ account to CNN. Fox News reports that a Scalise aide was shot in the chest. The office of Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas) confirmed that one of his staffers was shot. Matt Mika, a former lobbyist for Tyson Foods and the company’s current director of government relations, was also reportedly shot.

Two Capitol Hill police officers were also shot. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) identified the injured officers as David Bailey and Crystal Greiner. Their injuries are reportedly not life-threatening.

Advertisement

As House majority whip, Scalise receives a security detail, which is why Capitol Hill police were at the basketball practice. Sen. Rand Paul. (R-Ky.) confirmed Capitol Hill police took down the shooter. “It would have been a massacre without them,” Paul told reporters.

The Alexandria Police Department said the suspect is in custody and is “no longer a threat.”

The alleged gunman was later identified as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois. President Donald Trump said during an announcement late Wednesday morning that Hodgkinson died from his injuries.

Advertisement

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who witnessed the shooting, told Fox News that the shooter was in his “40s, 50s, dark haired, white.” Flake said he picked up Scalise’s phone and called his wife to inform her of her husband’s condition so she would not learn about it from the news.

As a result of the shooting, all votes in the House of Representatives have been suspended.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The shooting occurred at a park in Alexandria, Va. Multiple congressmen were at the practice, most likely in advance of the Congressional Baseball Game, an annual event dating back to 1909.

https://twitter.com/adamleeshaw/status/874955581932613633

According to Rep. Ron DeSantis, the gunman asked him and others whether the people on the field were “Republicans or Democrats out there.” This has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

Advertisement

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirmed the shooting via Twitter and said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have been briefed on the matter.

Advertisement

President Trump issued a statement on the shooting, saying he is “monitoring” the situation. In a statement later on Wednesday morning, Trump praised the Capitol police officers who shot the gunman. “Many lives would’ve been lost if not for the heroic actions of the two Capitol police officers,” Trump said.

Advertisement

Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who suffered a life-threatening assassination attempt in 2011, offered her well wishes to all those affected, praising them as “public servants and heroes.”

Advertisement

The congressional baseball game, for which the victims of the attack were practicing, will continue on Thursday as scheduled.

Advertisement

Last updated at 12:33pm ET.

 
The Daily Dot