Scalise still in critical condition; suspect dies in custody

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks says he’ll be starting in the outfield during tonight’s congressional charity baseball game, a day after a gunman opened fire on him and others as they practiced.

President Trump addressed the nation and called for unity Wednesday, “We are strongest when we are unified and we work together for the common good”. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those wounded today and their families”.

The man who shot Scalise in Alexandria, Va., while GOP members of Congress were practicing for the annual charity baseball game was identified as James Hodgkinson, 66, a Sen.

A lawmaker is speaking out after Wednesday’s Republican congressional baseball practice shooting that left Representative Steve Scalise in critical condition. “Additionally, we want to thank the Capitol Police for their heroic actions to stop the shooter before he could hurt even more people”.

The shooter has been identified as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old IL man who had in recent months been living out of his auto in the Alexandria area. Most Congress members don’t have their own security details, however, high-ranking officials like the Louisiana representative, as the House Majority Whip, are assigned security teams. Gabby Giffords was targeted by a gunman in 2011.

Colleagues who visited Scalise at a Washington hospital sounded generally upbeat, but spoke more in terms of hopes than the confident predictions of the immediate aftermath a day earlier.

Both of the officers are on Rep. Steve Scalise’s security detail and put their lives on the line to respond when shots rang out at a congressional baseball practice.

“He’s a patriot. And he’s a fighter”, Trump said. “America is praying for you and America is praying for all of the victims of this awful shooting”.

After two surgeries Wednesday immediately following the shooting, Scalise underwent a third surgery Thursday. They said he was given “multiple units” of blood and will require additional operations.

The GOP lawmakers’ team was taking batting practice when gunshots rang out and chaos erupted. “I was running for my life, got into the dugout”.

” I saw him train his gun at me and everything around me started to pop”, said Barth, who appeared with Williams on CBS This Morning.

Hodgkinson later died of injuries in hospital.

Scalise was hit by “a single rifle shot to the left hip”.

The Democrats’ manager, Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., reminded his team to “Clear your schedules”. “While the attack today was a bad surprise, Matt’s presence on the ball field, helping longtime colleagues and friends was not”, Mika’s family said.

The FBI and Alexandria Police Department said in a joint statement Thursday that federal authorities had examined the rifle and handgun recovered from the scene and determined that Hodgkinson had bought them from licensed sellers.