ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) was not at a Congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia Wednesday morning where five people were shot, including one congressman, despite being on the roster of one of the teams.
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), a congressional staffer and members of the congressional police force were shot Wednesday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, in what is being called an apparent "deliberate attack."
Scalise, the third-ranking member of House Republican leadership as the majority whip, appeared to have been shot in the hip, Rep. Mo Brooks told CNN. A congressional staffer, Zach Barth, was also injured. Matt Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods who sometimes practices with the team, was also identified as one of the victims, and Sen. Jeff Flake said Mika was the most seriously injured. House Speaker Paul Ryan also identified two members of the Capitol Police who were injured, Krystal Griner and David Bailey.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Scalise was in critical condition, according to MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
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Donnelly is listed on the online roster, but he was practicing with the Democratic team. Wednesday's shooting was at a practice for Republicans, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said.
(1/2) I am shocked & praying for the safety & recovery of my friend Steve Scalise & all the others shot, including the officers. -Joe
— Senator Joe Donnelly (@SenDonnelly) June 14, 2017
(2/2) I was practicing at the time with the Democratic team in DC and am okay. -Joe
— Senator Joe Donnelly (@SenDonnelly) June 14, 2017
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Paul said between 50-100 shots were fired.
Law enforcement has identified the shooter as 66-year-old James Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, according to a federal law enforcement sources. The suspect was taken into custody at the time, but later died, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
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The Vice President and I are aware of the shooting incident in Virginia and are monitoring developments closely. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol Police, first responders, and all others affected.
A statement from Scalise's office released earlier Wednesday morning said Scalise was undergoing surgery.
"Prior to entering surgery, the whip was in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone," the statement said. "He is grateful for the brave actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders, and colleagues."
The shooting took place at a practice for the GOP congressional baseball team. According to both congressional and law enforcement sources, the shooting appears to be a "deliberate attack."
In a statement, Texas Rep. Roger Williams, one of the team's coaches, said one of his staff members, legislative correspondent Zack Barth, was shot during the incident and is receiving medical attention. Williams tweeted Barth was "receiving medical attention but is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery."
The Capitol Police officers who were injured are "in good condition and have not suffered any life-threatening injuries at this point," Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa said at the news conference.
Investigators said they found anti-Trump messages on the shooter's Facebook page. Sen. Bernie Sanders says he is 'sickened by this despicable act' and the shooter apparently volunteered on his campaign.
Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. pic.twitter.com/hyfmmpgXML
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 14, 2017
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The shooting at the GOP congressional baseball practice could have been motivated by heightened partisanship, a Republican congressman who survived the attack told CNN.
"This could be the first political rhetorical terrorist attack and that has to stop," Rep. Rodney Davis told CNN's Brianna Keilar.
Authorities did not immediately reveal why Hodgkinson opened fire. But Davis attributed the motives of the gunman to heightened partisanship in the current political climate.
"This hatefulness that we see in this country today over policy differences has got to stop," he said.
"I believe that there's such a hatefulness in what we see in American politics and policy discussions right now. This has got to stop."
He added, "We can disagree on how to govern. That's what makes our country great, but I'm here because we're all Americans."
Lawmakers describe a chaotic scene
Lawmakers who spoke at the scene to reporters described a normal morning practice, at a field where they've practiced for years when all of a sudden shots rang out. Lawmakers, staff members and even the young son of one of the members ran for cover, jumping into dugouts and over fences to avoid the gunshots.
Members described Scalise dragging himself roughly 15 yards away from second base, where he had been playing, and lying there until the shooter was neutralized, at which point some of them ran to assist him and apply pressure to the wound until he could be evacuated. Once they were able, Sen. Jeff Flake said he and Rep. Brad Wenstrup, who is a physician, went out to where Scalise was lying to apply pressure to the wound. Scalise was coherent the whole time, Flake said.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul told CNN "it would have been a massacre" without Capitol Hill Police.
"Nobody would have survived without the Capitol Hill police," Paul said on CNN. "It would have been a massacre without them."
"We had nothing but baseball bats to fight back against a rifle with," Brooks said.
Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake added that he saw a member of Scalise's security detail return fire on the gunman for what felt like 10 minutes, even though the police officer was wounded in the leg.
"50 (shots) would be an understatement, I'm quite sure," Flake said when asked about the total amount of gunfire, including police returning fire.
Brooks said the shooter appeared to be a white male but added that "I saw him for a second or two." He said the shooter was behind the third base dugout and didn't say anything.
"The gun was a semiautomatic," Brooks said, adding that he was sure it was a rifle but unsure what kind. "It continued to fire at different people. You can imagine, all the people on the field scatter."
Capitol Hill increases security, cancels events
The news of the shooting reverberated on Capitol Hill, where security was increased and regular proceedings were canceled or postponed.
The House decided to not hold any votes on legislation Wednesday, and many hearings were delayed. The House Natural Resources Federal Lands Subcommittee also canceled a scheduled meeting to debate gun legislation.
Capitol Hill Police notified congressional offices that the security presence on the Hill would be increased "out of an abundance of caution."
President Donald Trump also canceled an afternoon event at the Department of Labor.
Virginia Rep. Dave Brat told CNN that he learned of the news in the gym, and that members were all standing by for more information as the news unfolded.
Scalise is the first member of Congress to be shot since former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot in January 2011. Giffords was shot in the head by Jared Lee Loughner at a "Congress On Your Corner" event at a Tucson grocery store. Giffords, who authorities said was the main target of the shooting, survived the attack but six others were killed and an additional 12 were injured.
Loughner pleaded guilty in 2012 and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
