A gunman opened fire wounding five as the Republican Congressional Baseball team began practice Wednesday morning at Simpson Park in Alexandria, Virginia.
Up to 25 members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, gathered to enjoy the beautiful morning and play a little baseball ahead of this week’s charity game set to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Washington DC.
The shooter, armed with an AK-47 styled rifle and a pistol, entered a dugout and began firing at about 7:15 AM, firing perhaps as many as 50 shots according to Fox News.
Members of the Capitol Hill Police arrived in less than five minutes and returned fire, wounding the attacker and ending the assault.
GOP Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R, LA), and at least one staffer were shot. Rep. Roger Williams (R, TX) was also injured, but not shot, during the attack. Also, two members of the Capitol Police were injured. A total of five were transported to the hospital.
Rep. Mo Brooks (R, SC) described the scene to Fox News.
“Finally the shooter was shot behind home plate as he was circling around to the first base dugout where there were a number of us congressmen and other folks,” Rep. Mo Brooks told FMTALK1065. “Our security detail was able to incapacitate him at that point. I don’t know if he [the shooter] was dead. He was wounded. I don’t know how many times he was wounded.”
Soon after the news of the crime broke, the White House released a statement expressing sorrow and prayers for the victims:
Statement from President Donald Trump
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.
President Trump also tweeted out his prayers for those wounded:
There is still no word on the motive of the shooter. He has also not yet been identified.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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