ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A rifle-wielding attacker opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice Wednesday morning, wounding House GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and several others as congressmen and aides dove for cover. The assailant, prepared with "a lot of ammo," fought a gun battle with police before he, too, was shot and later died.
Scalise dragged himself off the infield leaving a trail of blood as colleagues rushed to his assistance. After surgery, he was reported to be in critical condition.
Capitol police officers who were in Scalise's security detail wounded the shooter, who was taken into custody and hospitalized. The shooter later died of his injuries, President Donald Trump told the nation from the White House.
In addition to Scalise, to Capitol police officers, a congressional aide and a lobbyist were also hospitalized, Alexandria police said.
"Everyone on that field is a public servant," Trump said. "Their sacrifice makes democracy possible."
Scalise, 51, the No. 3 House Republican leader first elected to the House in 2008, was reported out of surgery and in critical condition.
The FBI has taken over the investigation of a shooting. Late in the day, they identified the shooter as an Illinois man named James Hodgkinson, 66, of Illinois -- a vocal critic of President Trump and the Republican party.
Hodgkinson's white cargo van was found near Wednesday's shooting seen and process. Late in the day, the FBI said Hodgkinson had been in the Alexandra area since March and believed he was living out of his vehicle. Investigators asked anyone who had contact with him in the last few months to called the FBI.
Rep. Roger Williams, of Texas, says his aide, Zack Barth, was among those shot. Williams tweeted Barth's name and also discussed his condition. He says Barth "is receiving medical attention, but is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery."
Arkansas-based Tyson Foods Inc. says one of its employees was among those shot at a congressional baseball practice Wednesday.
Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson identified the wounded employee as Matt Mika, director of the company's government relations. He says Mika was taken to a hospital and that the company is awaiting word on his condition.
Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa said during a news conference Wednesday that the officers wounded, David Bailey and Crystal Griner, were in good condition. By the end of the day, Griner had been released from the hospital and Baily was recovering from a gunshot to the ankle.
Rep. Martha McSally says the congressional baseball game will take place as scheduled Thursday night.
McSally says House Speaker Paul Ryan made the announcement just hours after the shooting. McSally says the announcement was met with a standing ovation.
McSally, a Republican from Arizona, says "we can't let anyone stop us from doing our work and from standing together."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says it is examining two weapons involved in the shooting at a congressional baseball practice.
It was not immediately clear if the gunman fired both weapons during the attack. An ATF spokeswoman said the agency was working to quickly trace a rifle and a handgun to determine where they were purchased.
SLIDESHOWS: Aftermath of shooting at baseball field |
What we know about James Hodgkinson
Hodgkinson is real estate appraiser who owns a home-inspection business in Illinois, but his 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.
News4Jax has found numerous and frequent pointed political posts on Hodgkinson's social media accounts. He posted seven political rants Monday, including one about President Trump that used obscenities. He has posted that Trump is a traitor and is destroying democracy. He also referred to Republican lawmakers as "thieving Republicans."
Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks told CNN that he was there and that there was a substantial shootout. He said that the shooter had a rifle. Capitol police said officers who were part of Scalise's security detail returned fire and wounded the shooter, who was taken into custody.
"There must have been 50-100 shots fired. Eventually, the shooter shot both of our security detail." Brooks said. "Eventually, the shooter starts coming toward where we are, near the fence line, and that's where our security detail took him down."
Brooks did not know if the shooter was killed and also told CNN that at least one victim was taken from the field in a medical helicopter.
"We were doing batting practice," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona. "All of a sudden we heard a very loud shot. The gunman was over by the third base dugout with a clear view of the field." He said the gunman had "a rifle of some sort ... a lot of ammo."
Brooks said that "at least five" were wounded, including Scalise, a congressional staffer and two security personnel and another law enforcement officer. Brooks didn't know if that man was a Capitol Police officer or Secret Service.
An eyewitness says the suspected gunman who shot Scalise and several others used an assault rifle, such as an AK-47, to open fire on the baseball field Wednesday morning.
Owen Britton, a defense contractor who was working out in a nearby gym says he saw an elderly man outside exchanging fire with another man who was behind a black SUV. He says he also saw victims lying on the ground.
Brooks said that there were 20-25 people at the practice for the GOP team. Some of the congressmen had started to leave before the shooter arrived. There were also a number of staffers and security detail above and beyond the congressmen who make up the team.
Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Palm Coast, was among the lawmakers who were at the practice. He told Fox Business News he and a fellow Republican left the ball field minutes before the gunfire.
"We reported to police that there was a gentleman that confronted us when we were going to our car and he wanted to know whether it was Republicans or Democrats that were out there. We said it was Republicans and he kind of started walking to the field," Desantis told the network. "I don't know if that was the guy, but I think it's important to put that information out there and it was a little bit different than someone would do that. He was really interested in wanting to know who was out there."
Rep. John Rutherford tweeted: "Prayers for @SteveScalise, police, staff, and all involved in the senseless act of violence this morning."
Rutherford told News4Jax that he was in his office Wednesday morning when he learned of the shooting.
"When you hear about the suspect carrying a rifle, how many shots were fired, in a way, you are thankful that it wasn't worse," Rutherford said. "I am glad that they have captures the suspect. Maybe we can figure out what his motives were. Horrible, horrible act."
Rutherford said that he was not any more concerned about his safety after the shooting.
"No more than I was as sheriff," Rutherford said. "I feel pretty protected by the Capitol Police."
Brooks described the shooter as a heavy-set, middle-aged, white man.
A congressional aide said Scalise was in stable condition at George Washington University Hospital.
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.
Scalise is the No. 3 House Republican leader. He was first elected to the House in 2008 after serving in the state legislature.
Rep. Jeff Duncan said in a statement that he was at the practice and "saw the shooter."
"Please pray for my colleagues," Duncan said.
House Speaker Paul Ryan's office said Scalise's wounds were not believed to be life-threatening and that a member of the security detail was also shot.
Flake said one person was shot in the chest.
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., tweeted Wednesday morning, "We are all Americans first, regardless of party. We are all on the same team. And we're praying for those injured in this heinous attack."
US Capitol Police say they have "robust police presence" around the Capitol, but the building is still open after the shooting in Virginia.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Capitol police aid "Out of an abundance of caution, the USCP has deployed a robust police presence throughout the Capitol Complex."
News4Jax Crime and Safety Analyst Gil Smith said that incidents like the shooting could change the way that security for congressmen could be re-examined.
"When these incidents tend to increase, I'm sure they'll provide more security," Smith said. "They already provide it in the house chambers whenever they have a Congressional meeting. Now off Capitol grounds, whenever they have a softball practice or they have a large group of congressmen, they will probably increase security."