Representative Scalise and Others Shot in Early Morning Baseball Game

A gunman, later identified by law enforcement as James T. Hodgkinson, opened fire at Republican congress members at an early morning baseball practice in Washington.

The gunman, aged 66 from Illinois, was a devote Bernie Sanders supporter during the presidential race and volunteered to work for the campaign. He also belonged to several anti-republican Facebook groups and signed a petition to impeach President Trump.

Hodgkinson opened fire from behind a chain-link fence near the third-base dugout and was able to shoot five people. The victims include Representative Scalise from Louisiana, who also serves as the majority whip in the House of Representatives. Mr. Scalise was standing at second base when he was shot in the hip and then “army crawled” toward taller grass in an attempt to escape the estimated 50 subsequent shots that rang out.

Another two victims belong to Mr. Scalise’s protective police detail who were wounded while shooting at Hodgkinson. Hodgkinson was later announced dead.  Zachary Barth, a staff member for Republican Representative Roger Williams of Texas, was also shot but a message uploaded to his Facebook reports him in stable condition. Matt Mika, a former Congressional staffer and the director of government relations for the Washington office of Tyson Foods, was also shot and news of his condition are still being awaited. Two of the five men shot are reported to be in critical condition.

The gunfire was reported at 7:09 a.m. and according to the Alexandria police, law enforcement arrived three minutes later. It is unclear at this time whether or not the attack was an assassination attempt on Mr. Scalise in particular.

The Democratic baseball team was practicing at the same time when the news broke out. Representative Jared Huffman who had been practicing wrote this on his Twitter account “we’re safe & with police, everyone praying for GOP colleagues, staff, and Cap police.”

Senator Sanders issues a statement in response to the attack committed by a former supporter of his campaign. “I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be. Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Real change can only come about through nonviolent action,” he said.

Mr. Trump offered his prayers to the victims and their families and also reminded that  “we may have our differences, but we do well in times like these to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country. We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace, and that we are stronger when we are unified, and when we work together for the common good.”

Gabrielle Giffords, the former Arizona congresswoman who survived being shot in the head in 2011, praised law enforcement’s quick response to the attack. She also stated, “ It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, nor if you’re a senator or a representative, nor a staffer or a sworn officer. If you serve the institution of Congress, you’re connected to your colleagues, current and former, by a shared sense of service to ideals far greater than yourself. This shooting is an attack on all who serve and on all who participate in our democracy.”

House leaders canceled the day’s votes, and Mr. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both canceled speeches.

Featured Image Via Flickr/Gage Skidmore