A gunman opened fire on Wednesday on Republican US lawmakers practicing near Washington for a charity baseball game, wounding senior Republican leader Steve Scalise and several others before being fatally shot by police.
The shooter fired repeatedly with a rifle at the baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, before being wounded in a gunfight with Capitol Hill police who were at the scene, lawmakers said.
Scalise, No. 3 in the House of Representatives Republican leadership, was shot in the hip. He was tended to by fellow lawmakers including Brad Wenstrup, an Ohio congressman who is a physician, before being transported to a hospital.
Also wounded were one current congressional staffer and one former staffer. Two Capitol Hill police officers were hospitalized after the incident but it was not clear if both were wounded by gunfire.
The gunman, identified by a senior US official as James Hodgkinson from the St. Louis suburb of Belleville, Illinois, died of his injuries. Media reports said Hodgkinson, 66, owned a home inspection business.
His social media presence indicated he was strongly opposed to Republicans, including President Donald Trump.
Police and the FBI said it was too early to determine a motive in the shooting or whether the attack was an attempted political assassination.
Trump announced the gunman's death and called Scalise, a 51-year-old Louisiana congressman, a good friend. Speaking at the White House, Trump said Scalise was "badly injured" but in stable condition and would recover.
'Badly injured'
Trump says that Scalise was “badly injured” but says he will “fully recover.”
The president tweeted Wednesday, “Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover.” He adds, “Our thoughts and prayers are with him.”
Scalise, who is the majority whip, and a number of aides and Capitol Police officers were shot Wednesday morning.
Sen. Jeff Flake says the gunman in the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise had "a rifle of some sort" and "a lot of ammo."
Flake says Scalise was playing second base at a congressional baseball practice when he was shot by a man standing off the third-base side of the field.
He says Scalise dragged himself into the outfield to get farther away from the shooting. Several other people were wounded, including a congressional staff member and law enforcement personnel.
Upmarket suburb
Brooks said he heard 10 to 20 rounds from the gunman's rifle before the security detail returned fire. He said there were 20 to 25 members of the team at the practice in Alexandria, Virginia, when the gunfire erupted.
Police in the upmarket Washington DC suburb of Alexandria said they were investigating a "multiple shooting" and a suspect was in custody.
An apparent eyewitness said on Twitter that gunfire rang out at the YMCA baseball fields, by the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park. Local media report there is a major police presence after the attack.
Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, texted Fox News to say that Scalise had been shot in the hip and would survive. He said someone had used a belt as a tourniquet on him.
Lee said the shooter had used a long gun and was dead.
Earlier shooting
In Virginia Beach, an hours-long standoff has ended in Virginia with one person in custody and a police officer taken to surgery for a gunshot wound.
Media outlets reported Tuesday the officer is expected to survive.
Virginia Beach Police spokeswoman Master Police Officer Tonya Pierce said the incident began about 6:30am when officers tried to serve a warrant at a Virginia Beach house for distribution of child pornography.
One officer was shot and two others were slightly injured. A man then barricaded himself inside the home.
Police say the man eventually walked out of the home and was taken into custody. He was treated and released for a bite from a police dog.
Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association President Brian Luciano says the officer who was shot was alert and talking.
Source : Gulf News