Representative Steve Scalise Shot at a Baseball Practice

The FBI announced Wednesday that James Hodgkinson, who opened fire last week at a baseball practice for congressional Republicans, acted alone and had no links to terrorism. Officials also revealed that on the day of the shooting, he’d carried a list with the names of six lawmakers on it.

The bureau said in a statement:

Law enforcement searched Hodgkinson’s vehicle at the scene of the shooting; a storage facility that he rented beginning April 16, 2017 in Alexandria, Virginia; and his home in Belleville [Illinois]. Items found on Hodgkinson included a piece of paper that contained the names of six members of Congress. No context was included on this paper, however, a review of Hodgkinson’s web searches in the months prior to the shooting revealed only a cursory search of two of those members of Congress. A second document with a rough sketch of several streets in Washington, D.C., was found on Hodgkinson; however, it was not deemed to be of investigative significance.

At a press conference, Tim Slater, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Washington field office, declined to say who any of the lawmakers on the list are. He added that 66-year-old Hodgkinson, who died at a hospital after the shooting, had an “anger-management problem.”

In its statement, the bureau also reported that Hodgkinson’s phone contained photographs and video taken between April 11 and April 26 of various sites on the National Mall; the U.S. Capitol grounds; and the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia, where the shooting occurred. “At this point in the investigation, the FBI does not believe that these photographs represented surveillance of intended targets, however, we continue to learn more about Hodgkinson’s recent activities,” it said.

Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise is still in critical condition following this week’s shooting in Virginia, the head of trauma at Medstar Washington Hospital Center said Friday. But the majority whip has shown improvement over the past 36 hours.

“When he arrived, he was in critical condition with an imminent risk of death,” said Dr. Jack Sava, speaking at a press conference inside the hospital. But, he later added, “an excellent recovery is a good possibility.”

“I feel a lot more confident and a lot more optimistic than I did two to three days ago,” he told reporters.

Sava, who specializes in general and trauma surgery, said that there was “substantial damage to [Scalise’s] bones, blood vessels, and internal organs.” The congressman, who is still sedated, remains in the intensive care unit. Sava declined to say how long Scalise would spend in the hospital, but noted he will require additional operations.

The Republican lawmaker was shot in the left hip on Wednesday after James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old man from Illinois, ambushed a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, with a high-velocity gun. The bullet traveled across Scalise’s pelvis—fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding, the hospital said earlier this week. A single bone in his leg was also broken. He has undergone multiple surgeries since the shooting.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center revealed the extent of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s injuries for the first time on Wednesday night and indicated he will need multiple additional surgeries.

“Congressman Steve Scalise sustained a single rifle shot to the left hip,” the hospital said in a statement. “The bullet travelled across his pelvis, fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding. He was transported in shock to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, a Level I Trauma Center. He underwent immediate surgery, and an additional procedure to stop bleeding. He has received multiple units of blood transfusion. His condition is critical, and he will require additional operations.”

Earlier Wednesday evening, President Trump and the first lady brought flowers to the hospital where Scalise is being treated, staying for roughly 30 minutes.

Just left hospital. Rep. Steve Scalise, one of the truly great people, is in very tough shape - but he is a real fighter. Pray for Steve!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017

Scalise was the only member of Congress injured in the morning attack, along with congressional aide Zachary Barth, Tyson Foods lobbyist Matt Mica, and Capitol Police officers David Bailey and Crystal Griner. Capitol Police officers also shot the assailant, who has been identified as 66-year-old Illinois native James Hodgkinson. Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that Hodgkinson later died of his injuries.

The hospital, which had previously released a brief statement on Twitter calling Scalise’s condition critical, said it would provide further updates on his status and that of the other injured victims.

Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who was wounded in Wednesday’s shooting, remains in critical condition. That’s according to MedStar Washington Medical Center, the hospital where he’s being treated.

Rep. Scalise was critically injured and remains in critical condition. The other patient is in good condition.

— MedStar Washington (@MedStarWHC) June 14, 2017

Two people—the congressman and an unidentified person—were taken to Medstar. The hospital did not release the other individual’s name. Scalise was said to be in “good spirits” before he was taken into surgery Wednesday morning.

The gunman shot five people: Scalise; Zachary Barth, a congressional staffer for Representative Roger Williams of Texas; Matt Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods; and two Capitol Police officers, Special Agent David Bailey and Special Agent Crystal Griner. The shooter died at a hospital, President Trump said earlier Wednesday, though it’s not publicly known which one he was taken to.

Updated at 4:04 p.m. ET

House Speaker Paul Ryan’s office has named the five people shot by the gunman in Alexandria, Virginia.

They are: Steve Scalise, the Republican representative from Louisiana; Zachary Barth, a congressional staffer for Representative Roger Williams of Texas; Matt Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods; and two Capitol Police officers, Special Agent David Bailey and Special Agent Crystal Griner.

All are expected to make a full recovery.

Both Alexandria Police and the FBI had said the gunman was among five people transported to hospitals after the shooting. One of the officers was transported to the hospital in a police cruiser for minor injuries, and has been released, the FBI said.

During a brief news conference Wednesday, President Trump announced the gunman died from his wounds.

“An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us,” Speaker Paul Ryan said on Wednesday as he re-opened the House floor five hours after a gunman shot Representative Steve Scalise and four others at a congressional baseball practice.

Speaking before a chamber that was nearly full, Ryan paid tribute not only to Scalise, the third-ranking House Republican, but to the two Capitol Police officers, David Bailey and Crystal Griner, who were wounded as they tried to take down the assailant, identified as James Hodgkinson. “It is clear to me, based on various eyewitness accounts, that without these two heroes, Agent Bailey and Agent Griner, many lives would have been lost,” Ryan said.

The speaker called for the House to stand united in resolve if not in politics, and he noted a photograph showing Democratic lawmakers with their heads bowed in prayer for Scalise and the other victims of Wednesday’s shooting. In an earlier private briefing, Ryan reportedly told lawmakers that the annual congressional baseball game would go on as scheduled on Thursday evening. “At times our emotions can clearly get the best of us. We're all imperfect,” Ryan said. “But we do not shed our humanity when we enter this chamber. For all the noise and all the fury, we are one family.”

Ryan drew a bipartisan standing ovation after his remarks, as did Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi when the California Democrat echoed his sentiments. “To my colleagues, you're going to hear me say something you've never heard me say before: I identify myself with the remarks of the speaker,” Pelosi said. “They were beautiful remarks, Mr. Speaker.”

While steering clear of politics, Pelosi noted that she had begun praying for the safety of her colleagues in recent years as threats of violence have increased. She said she prayed as well for the safety of former President Barack Obama and his family, and now for President Trump and his. “It’s an injury in the family,” Pelosi said.

The House cancelled votes scheduled for the day and adjourned until Thursday.

President Trump praised the heroism of the Capitol Police officers who intervened to stop the gunman who attacked a GOP congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday morning.

In a statement from the White House’s Diplomatic Room, Trump announced the gunman had died of his injuries. The president also indicated all of the assailant’s victims were still alive, including Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise, the House majority whip. He did not give detailed updates on their conditions.

Trump paid tribute to Scalise and said he had spoken with the representative’s wife by phone. “Congressman Scalise is a friend and a very good friend. he's a patriot and he's a fighter,” Trump said. “He will recover from this assault and, Steve, I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation and, frankly, the entire world.”

He also thanked first responders for their quick action on the scene. “I have spoken with [Capitol Police] Chief Matthew Verderosa—he's doing a fabulous job of the Capitol Police—to express my admiration for their courage,” Trump said. “Our brave Capitol Police performed a challenging job with incredible skill, and their sacrifice makes democracy possible. We also commend the brave first responders from Alexandria Police Fire and Rescue who rushed to the scene.” He added that the FBI would take over the investigation from local law enforcement.

The president concluded his remarks on a note of unity, saying that everyone on the field was a “public servant” dedicated to helping their country. “Our courageous police, our congressional aides who work so tirelessly behind the scenes with enormous devotion, and our dedicated members of Congress who represent our people—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,” he said.

During a brief news conference, President Trump told the nation that the man who’d opened fire at a congressional baseball practice in Virginia earlier Wednesday morning is dead.

“Authorities are continuing to investigate the crime and the assailant has now died from his injuries,” he said. “The FBI is leading the investigation and will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.”

As my colleague Krishnadev Calamur previously reported, the FBI is involved because a member of Congress, Louisiana Republican Steve Scalise, is among those injured in the shooting.

The FBI has taken over the investigation of Wednesday morning’s shooting in Alexandria, Virginia, in which Republican Representative Steve Scalise was shot and injured along with several other people.

Bureau officials said five people were transported to the hospital, but they declined to say if the shooter was among them. Alexandria police had earlier reported that the shooter was one of the five.

It’s "too early to say" if the shooting was an act of terrorism or an assassination attempt, said Tim Slater, the FBI special agent in charge. “We're exploring all angles.” Calling the investigation “active,” he explained that “once it was confirmed that we had a member of Congress that was involved in the incident,” the FBI had to take the lead.

Slater said there was information on the suspect, but he declined to provide it to the media because “we’re still working on it.” He also declined to comment about the reported appearance of the shooter.

Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown said that “the city is safe.” Here’s how events unfolded, according to his report:

The facts as we have it: This morning, again at 7:09, nine minutes after 7:00, we received a call, a 911 call of an active shooter at Simpson Park here on Monroe in Alexandria. Our units responded and were on scene within three minutes. The officers … received fire from a suspect and they returned fire, and that part of the investigation is ongoing as we speak. … There were Capitol Police … on scene and they also engaged with the subject.

He said emergency responders treated a number of people on the scene, five of whom were transported to hospitals “to deal with a variety of injuries and treatment.”

Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa said officers from his department were injured. They are in good condition and have not suffered any life-threatening injuries, he said.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the shooting Wednesday morning in Alexandria.

“Dorothy and I are shocked and deeply saddened by this horrible act of violence against members of congress, law enforcement and other innocent people who were simply enjoying an early morning baseball practice,” his statement reads. “We are praying for swift recoveries for those who are injured and we are thankful for the bravery and quick action of U.S. Capitol Police and local first responders to stop the attacker and threat those who were wounded. Virginia public safety officials are coordinating with local responders and we will continue to monitor this situation and make every resource available.”

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was among those shot early Wednesday morning. His office has since released a statement saying “he is currently undergoing surgery” and in stable condition.

The shooting at the congressional baseball practice might have been a lot worse had it not been for the presence of U.S. Capitol Police officers, who reportedly returned fire and took out the gunman, lawmakers said.

“Our lives were saved by the Capitol Hill police,” Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said on CNN. “Had they not been there I think it would have been a massacre.”

Another Republican at the practice, Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama, said on Facebook Live: “But for the grace of God and our Capitol Police officers shooting back, I'd be with Steve Scalise in the hospital right now.”

The Capitol Police likely would not have been at the practice at all if it weren’t for the participation of Scalise, the House majority whip who was shot in the hip. Rank-and-file members of Congress do not have police protection outside the Capitol, but as a member of the party leadership, Scalise has access to a security detail at all times. Two members of Scalise’s protective detail were reportedly wounded in the incident.

GOP teammates often poke fun at @SteveScalise for showing up to practice each morning with his security detail. Today it saved their lives.

— Jamie Lovegrove (@jslovegrove) June 14, 2017

The Capitol Police dates back to 1828 and is responsible for protecting Congress, including the Capitol complex. It now has more than 1,700 officers, having doubled in size after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and a merger with the Library of Congress Police in 2009.

Updated at 10:16 a.m. ET

The U.S. House of Representatives has canceled all votes and hearings following the shooting this morning in which Representative Steve Scalise was among five people shot in Alexandria, Virginia.

No votes are expected in the House today. In addition, there will be no morning hour speeches at 10:00 a.m. #Alexandria

— CSPAN (@cspan) June 14, 2017

Inbox is also full of cancelled hearings and pressers on the Hill

— Liz Goodwin (@lizcgoodwin) June 14, 2017

Scalise’s office said the majority whip was shot in the hip and is expected to make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s speech at the U.S. Department of Labor was canceled. Trump was due to sign an executive order that would change the oversight of government-funded apprenticeship programs. Vice President Mike Pence was also scheduled to be at the event. His appearance has been canceled, as well. He also canceled his scheduled speech this morning to the National Association of Homebuilders.

The office of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise released a statement saying the congressman is in stable condition. Scalise was shot early Wednesday morning during a baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia.

“This morning, at a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game, Whip Scalise was shot in the hip. He was transported to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where he is currently undergoing surgery. He is in stable condition,” the statement reads. “Prior to entering surgery, the Whip was in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone. He is grateful for the brave actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders, and colleagues.”

Scalise is a Republican congressman from Louisiana. Representative Mo Brooks, who was also at the practice, described people at the scene running to help Scalise once given the all clear. Chief Michael Brown said Wednesday “five people were transported medically from the scene.”

During a brief news conference Wednesday, Chief Michael Brown said “five people were transported medically from the scene.” He did not provide details of their conditions, nor of the shooter or shooters.

“We were there within three minutes. We know officers from the Capitol Hill police as well as three officers that we had an scene arrived. Two of our officers engaged in gunfire, returned fire. Beyond that we're not going to make any other statements until such time as we know exactly what's taken place on this,” Brown said. “We know that five people were transported medically from the scene. We will not or their locations at that point or the condition of their injuries.”

Brown added it was an active scene. The shooting occurred at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, which has a baseball field as well as a large dog park that is popular in the community.

Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood prides itself on its small-town feel. It still has a thriving Main Street and locally owned businesses. The community, which is about seven miles outside of Washington, D.C., is a popular neighborhood for working professionals (I've lived here for nearly five years). Crime, as such, is not common; violent crime is even rare. It's all but certain this incident will be discussed for some time to come.

Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama was on the baseball field at the time of the shooting early Wednesday. Brooks described the scene to CNN shortly afterward:

“I was on deck about to hit batting practice on the third base side of home plate and I hear a loud bam. And I look around and behind third base in the third base dug out, which is cinderblock, I see a rifle. And I see a little bit of a body and then I hear another bam and I realize there is an active shooter,” he said. “At the same time, I hear Steve Scalise over near second base scream. He was shot. He's our majority whip. The gun was a semiautomatic.”

He added: “It continues to fire at different people. You can imagine all the people in the field scatter. I run around to the first base side of home plate. We have a batting cage that’s got plastic wrapped around it to stop foul balls. I hide behind the plastic. That plastic is not real good. I was lying on the ground as gunfire continued. I heard a break in the gunfire and decided to take a chance. I ran from home plate to the first base dug out, which is also cinderblock and down two or three feet so you can have better cover. There were a number of congressmen and congressional staffers … lying on the ground. One of them was wounded in the leg. I took off my belt and myself and another congressman—I don’t remember who—applied a tourniquet to try to slow down the bleeding.”

Brooks then described shots fired between the gunman and the security detail. Once they got the all clear, Brooks said they “ran out to second base for Steve Scalise. We started giving him some liquids, putting—I put pressure on his wound in his hip and a congressman from Ohio … fortunately is a physician. He started doing what you need to do to try to minimize the blood loss. Shortly thereafter the police showed up and a helicopter landed in center field and took away whomever the folks decided was the most wounded, most critical. I don't know who that person was. At that time the police were causing all of us to gather outside the first baseline in the chain link fence in order to help assure if there was a second shooter that we would be better protected.”

You can watch the interview here:

BREAKING: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise appears to have been shot in Alexandria, VA, GOP Rep. Mo Brooks says https://t.co/Zs3oxanaP2

— CNN International (@cnni) June 14, 2017

In a statement, President Trump said that he and Vice President Mike Pence “are aware of the shooting incident in Virginia and are monitoring developments closely.” Here’s the full statement from the president released Wednesday morning:

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.

Trump later tweeted:

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2017