At 7:09 a.m. Wednesday morning, James T. Hodgkinson opened fire on members of the Republican congressional baseball team in Alexandria, Virginia, as they practiced for a charity baseball game. Six people, including Steve Scalise, the majority whip of the House of Representatives, were injured.
Hodgkinson was disgruntled over the election of Donald Trump, and had penned several anti-Trump sentiments on his Facebook page. He's recently posted the chilling comment: “It’s time to destroy Trump & co.” A SKS rifle 7.62 and a 9 mm pistol were recovered from the scene of the shooting yesterday.
President Trump canceled his scheduled speeches for the day, and he and First Lady Melania Trump instead went to the hospital where Representative Scalise is recovering. Earlier in the day he addressed the news by saying “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.”
The shooting drew heartfelt comments from both Republicans and Democrats, who were united in their in shock. “For all the noise and all the fury, we are one family,” Speaker Paul D. Ryan said while addressing his colleagues in the House chamber. “We do not shed our humanity when we enter this chamber.” House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, echoed the sentiments, calling the shootings "a despicable and cowardly attack."
Scalise is listed in critical condition after sustaining a single rifle shot to the left hip.
The Congressional charity baseball game will go on as planned tonight at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
Updates on the injured:
- Congressional staffer, Zach Barth, was shot in the leg and has since been released from the hospital
- Matt Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods and former congressional staffer, was also shot. He was out of surgery and in critical condition
- Texas Representative, Roger Williams, was also hospitalized and released with an injury to his leg
- Capitol Police Officers Crystal Griner and David Bailey both sustained injuries. Capitol Police reported that Griner was in "good condition in the hospital having been shot in the ankle," and Bailey "was treated and released having sustained a minor injury during the incident"