June 14 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the gunman who fired on a congressional baseball practice, James T. Hodgkinson, died from his injuries.
“As you all know, shortly after 7 a.m. this morning, a gunman opened fire on members of Congress and their staffs as they were practicing for tomorrow’s annual charity baseball game. Authorities are continuing to investigate the crime, and the assailant has now died from his injuries,” Trump said from the White House on Wednesday.
“The FBI is leading the investigation and will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.”
Law enforcement officials earlier identified Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Ill., as the gunman in the shooting.
Hodgkinson, 66, sustained serious injuries after he opened fire on Republican members of Congress, their staffers and Capitol Police officers.
The Washington Post, citing law enforcement officials, reported Hodgkinson was the owner of a home inspection business but he did not renew his home inspection license, which expired in November. He was charged in 2006 with battery and aiding damage to a motor vehicle.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and at least three others were shot during the practice in Alexandria, Va., police and witnesses said.
Trump said Scalise was “shot and badly wounded, and is now in stable condition at the hospital, along with two very courageous Capitol Police officers.”
“At least two others were also wounded,” Trump added. “Many lives would have been lost if not for the heroic actions of the two Capitol Police officers who took down the gunman despite sustaining gunshot wounds during a very, very brutal assault.”
Trump said he spoke with Capitol Police Chief Matthew R. Verderosa “to express our sympathies for his wounded officers and to express my admiration for their courage.”
“Our brave Capitol Police perform a challenging job with incredible skill and their sacrifice makes democracy possible,” Trump said.
Trump also thanked the first responders from Alexandria police and fire rescue. The shooting on Wednesday is the 154th mass shooting in 2017, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
During a speech to Congress on Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said that “an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.”
In addition to Scalise, Paul identified those injured as lobbyist Matt Mika, congressional staffer Zack Barth, and Capitol Police special agents David Bailey and Crystal Greiner.
“We are united in our shock, we are united in our anguish. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us,” Ryan said. “I know this House wants to state unequivocally that we are and ever awed by the tremendous bravery by the Capitol Police.”
Ryan said Thursday’s baseball game will continue as scheduled. Ryan said those injured are expected to recover.
Police were first called at 7:09 a.m. about gunfire at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park. The shooting happened at a baseball field on East Monroe Street in Del Ray near a YMCA about 7 miles from the White House.
Within minutes of the first gunshots, Alexandria police on Twitter said the suspect was in custody and was not a threat, adding that victims were taken to hospitals.
President Donald Trump said he expects Scalise, 51, will “fully recover.”
“Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
Scalise’s office issued a statement saying the congressman was undergoing surgery but was in stable condition. They said he was in good spirits and had spoken to his wife on the phone. Scalise said he was grateful for the actions of the Capitol Police.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, said one of his staff members was shot and is receiving medical attention.
“Please keep the member of my staff and all members of the congressional baseball team in your thoughts and prayers,” Williams wrote on Twitter.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who was at the baseball practice, said he heard “at least 50 or 60 shots” during the shooting. Paul said Scalise was on second base when he was shot.
[Scalise] goes down but is moving, and is crawling towards the outfield … I’m seeing shots skipping off of the warning track,” Paul said.
Paul said Capitol police were at the practice to protect Scalise because he holds a leadership position. He said more people would have been injured had the officers not been on site.
“It would have been a massacre,” Paul told CNN.
Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., described what he said was a “very strange” encounter with a man shortly before the shooting. It’s unclear if the man was the shooter.
“I actually left a little early, probably about a couple of minutes before this happened … there was a guy that walked up to us that was asking whether it was Republicans or Democrats out there, and it was just a little odd, and then he kind of walked toward the area where all this happened,” DeSantis said.
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-S.C., who also was at the scene, said security officers fired back at the shooter.
During a press conference, law enforcement officials said it was too early to determine if the event was a targeted shooting or an assassination attempt.
Brooks said a helicopter landed in the field to evacuate one of the most wounded in the shooting.
Democratic members of Congress, some of whom also had baseball practice on Wednesday, held a group prayer for their colleagues.
“House Democrats praying for our House GOP [and] Senate GOP baseball colleagues after hearing about the horrific shooting,” Rep. Ruben J. Kihuen, D-Nev., wrote on Twitter.
Gabrielle Giffords, the former Arizona lawmaker shot during a 2011 assassination attempt, on Wednesday said her “heart is with my former colleagues, their families & staff, and the U.S. Capitol Police — public servants and heroes today and every day.”
The gunman shot Scalise, R-La., in the hip area, Brooks said. At least one person was shot in the chest.
The practice was for a bipartisan game scheduled for Thursday. Security has been increased at the U.S. Capitol and at the White House following the shooting, ABC News reported.
