Shooter Open Fires on Congressional Baseball Practices, House Majority Whip among the Injured

Shooter Opens Fire on Congressional Baseball Practice, House Majority Whip among the Injured

A least two people were injured when someone open fired on a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia.

  • Jun 14, 2017

[UPDATE: June 14, 2017 10:45 a.m.]

President Trump announced Wednesday morning that the shooter, identified by law enforcement as James T. Hodgkinson, “has now died from his injuries.”

Trump spoke from the Diplomatic Room of the White House about what he said was a “very, very, very brutal assault.”

[UPDATE: June 14, 2017 10:20 a.m.]

The Associated Press tweeted out a government official has confirmed the name of the suspect in the congressional baseball practice shooting as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old from Belleville, Illinois.

Three victims have been identified are House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Mike Mika, a former congressional staffer who is now a lobbyist for Tyson Foods and Zach Barth a staffer for Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas.

Witnesses of the shooting say that Scalise's dignitary protection made up of two U.S. Capitol Police were the first respond to the shooting. The Capitol Police chief said that these officers were in good condition and expected to make a full recovery.

Representative Joe Barton explained the baseball game was intended to be a bipartisan game to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Washington D.C. Barton said this year the game had raised over $600,000.

Original story posted below. Follow live updates on Twitter by following @SecurToday and @1105Sydny.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was among at least two people shot Wednesday morning during a GOP baseball practice at an Alexandria, Virginia ball field.

Alexandria police confirmed in a series of tweets that it was investigating reports of a “multiple shooting” and that the suspect was in custody and no longer a threat.

Police arrived on scene within 3 minutes of the first shot and two officers engaged in gunfire with the gunman. Sources have told several national news stations that the other injured person is a Capital police officer.

Witnesses have told local news stations that they believed the shooting lasted around ten minutes and consisted of over 50 gunshots.

At least five people were transported from the scene with injuries but it is unclear if all sustained gunshot wounds.  

Press Secretary Sean Spicer tweeted that the President and Vice President were aware of the incident. President Donald Trump tweeted that Scalise is a “true friend and patriot” and was “badly injured, but will fully recover.”

The GOP members and their aids were at the ball field practicing for a congressional baseball game that was scheduled for Thursday morning.

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