Jun 14, 2017 One Congressman has been wounded in a mass shooting after a gunman opened fire on a group of GOP lawmakers and aides practicing for a charity baseball game in Alexandria, Virginia, early Wednesday. House Whip Steve Scalise from Louisiana was shot in the hip and hospitalized, but is expected to survive after Senator Jeff Flake and another congressman rushed out to the field and heroically worked to staunch the bleeding, according to Flake and other lawmakers who witnessed the chaotic, bloody scene. Two other victims were wounded, as well – including at least one U.S. Capitol Police officer, according to Flake and Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks, who spoke to news media shortly after the shooting. One of Rep. Roger Williams’ aides was injured in the attack and was being treated at a local hospital in the wake of the shooting, Williams announced in a statement. Williams confirmed his aide, Zachary Barth’s, injury in a tweet, writing that Barth was shot but is expected to make a full recovery. “I now can confirm that Zack Barth, who is a legislative correspondent in my office, was shot this morning at baseball practice,” he tweeted. Barth too confirmed his injury in a Twitter post, writing, “I got shot this morning at the baseball fields but I am in the hospital and okay.” Rep. Ron DeSantis told ABC that a man he believes may have been the gunman asked him if it were Democrats or Republicans on the field before he started shooting. The gunman has been identified as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois. The gunman fired up to 50 times with a rifle before he was shot and wounded by Capitol Police, who were on hand, and Alexandria police officers who arrived within three minutes, Flake and Brooks said. “I think that with absolute certainty nobody would have survived without Capitol Police. Just incredibly brave,” Senator Rand Paul told CNN. Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown said in a press conference that five people, including the gunman, were injured and had been taken to local hospitals Some 25 GOP members of Congress were on a high school baseball field practicing for the Congressional Baseball Game, which is scheduled for Thursday night. A tradition since 1909, the charity game features Democratic House members playing Republican House members. The game is scheduled at Nationals Park. A group of House Democrats gathered to pray for those injured in the shooting, according to Rep. Ruben Kihuen. Proceeds from ticket sales go to charity. The game’s website describes it as “the only annual partisan showdown beloved by all and enjoyed by thousands. Every year, with a few interruptions, Senate and House members of each party team up to settle scores and solidify friendships off the floor and on the field.” An Alexandria police spokeswoman confirmed to PEOPLE that officers had responded to a “multiple shooting,” but would not name any victims or confirm that a group of Congress members were attacked. The spokeswoman said victims had been transported to area hospitals. Police said in a tweet that the suspect is in custody and “not a threat.” “APD investigating multiple shooting 400 block E Monroe St,” officials wrote. “Suspect believed in custody. Stay from area, let emergency vehicles thru.” Brooks told CNN that gunman was behind the dugout when he opened fire. He said the gunman was shot by members of the congressional protective detail. Scalese, after being hit, dragged himself across the field in an attempt to get to cover, Brooks said. Brooks added that he saw Rep. Gary Palmer being treated at the scene. As the third-highest ranking House Republican, Scalise has a round-the-clock Capitol Police detail. Brooks told CNN that without the Capitol Police, “We would have been at the mercy of this shooter, and he had a lot of ammo.” He added that without the police, “all we would have had was a baseball bat versus a rifle. Those aren’t very good odds.” Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Jeff Flake and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann were present when the shots rang out and Paul told ABC that Capitol Hill police fired at the suspect. Paul said he heard the shots from right field and hid behind a tree before running toward a fence. He recalled bullets hitting the ground around him, he said. Paul told ABC that he hopped a fence to escape. Meanwhile, a witness tweeted that the suspect had opened fire on “Congressional members playing basketball” in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The user later tweeted that at least three of the politicians had taken shelter in his home. Another man shared a photo of a cracked window with a bullet hole, writing, “Active shooter situation during this mornings trip to the Y. Terrifying. Am ok. Sheltered in place & under lockdown.” In a statement the White House said that Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are aware of the shooting. “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” the statement read. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol police, first responders, and all others affected.” This story is developing.
Jun 14, 2017 Ironically enough, because of the congressmen that were shot at. Apparently it seems political. The shooter had anti-trump postings on his Facebook. A congressmen claimed he had a short exchange with the shooter before the incident and that the shooter asked "is this the democratic or republican baseball practice?" The congressmen said "republican" and the shooter said "thanks" and walked away.
Jun 14, 2017 Lol All of those people getting run over in Europe make me confused to as why car laws are so f---ing relaxed in Europe
Jun 14, 2017 That's a terribly dumb comparison ''People drowned why are water laws so f---ing relaxed'' shut the f--- up
Jun 14, 2017 All I can say to this is that no country in their right mind would ever invade the Continental United States because almost every household has guns and that's cool with me. This isnt a gun problem....... Its a problem that consist of a f----- up individual doing f----- up s---
Jun 14, 2017 There's f----- up people here in England too, but due to lack of access to guns we don't have shootings every day like in America Granted we have a few knife crimes, but very minimal when you compare it to deaths by guns in the US
Jun 14, 2017 We have the strongest military in the world and we have nukes lol. Nobody would invade us regardless if there were an abundance of guns or not lol.
Jun 14, 2017 He also wrote frequent letters to his hometown newspaper, the Belleville News-Democrat, which published nearly two dozen letters between 2010 and 2012, many of which included complaints about the same theme: income inequality. Hodgkinson compared the economic conditions of the time to those that preceded the Great Depression and excoriated Congress for not increasing the number of tax brackets and taking other tax reform measures. On May 14, 2010, he wrote: "I don't envy the rich; I despise the way they have bought our politicians and twisted our laws to their benefit." On March 4, 2011, he wrote that Congress should rewrite tax codes to ease the tax burdens of the middle class. "Let's get back to the good ol' days, when our representatives had a backbone and a conscience," he wrote. In October 2011, he applauded the Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York and Boston, writing that the demonstrators "are tired of our do-nothing Congress doing nothing while our country is going down the tubes." He also wrote about conservative talk radio and TV, saying that his favorite show was Rachel Maddow's MSNBC program and writing that he believed MSNBC provided "a better, balanced opinion," than Fox News.
Jun 14, 2017 MSNBC definitely doesn't provide a "balanced opinion" but lol @ him using Fox News as the measuring stick.
Jun 14, 2017 Fun fact: apparently my step father (a cop) has already used this event as a way to s--- on people who don't stand for the national anthem.
Jun 14, 2017 Donald Trump's son is a total idiot People get shot and he's still trying to make this story about his father. Can he please stfu.
