Representative Steve Scalise was among multiple people shot Wednesday morning in Alexandria, Virginia in what witnesses and law enforcement officials are describing as a “deliberate attack.”
The incident took place while Scalise, Rand Paul, Mo Brooks and other Congressmen were taking part in baseball practice prior to starting their work day.
With new information pouring in every minute, here is what we know at the moment:
Scalise, a member of the House Republican leadership as the majority whip, appeared to have been shot in the hip and is reportedly in stable condition.
At least two Capitol Hill police agents and Representative Roger Williams were also wounded in the attack, Brooks tells CNN.
The gunman was shot by U.S. Capital Police, apprehended and taken to the hospital, officials said.
However, Senator Mike Lee tells Fox News that the suspect (who Brooks describes as a “middle-aged white man”) has been killed.
We cannot verify this latter claim right now, but Alexandria police have Tweeted that the shooter is “not a threat” any longer.
Recounting the chaos to CNN, Brooks approximated that 50 to 100 shots were fired.
He said there were a number of congressmen and congressional staffers lying on the ground shortly after he heard a “blam” and that he used his belt as a tourniquet to assist one of the victims.
“I see a rifle… I hear another blam… at the same time I heard Steve Scalise scream. He was shot,” the Alabama Republican told the news outlet.
He said he saw Scalise crawling toward right field at one point, “leaving a trail of blood.”
Paul, who was reportedly awaiting his turn to bat when the shooting broke out, told Joe Scarborough on air this morning that “everybody would’ve died except for the fact that Capitol Hill police were there.”
He said the “baseball field was basically a killing field.”
“It sure as heck wasn’t an accident,” Brooks added. “He was going after elected officials.”
In response to the horrible incident, President Donald Trump has released the following statement:
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.
The shooting took place around 7:15 a.m. EST.
Along with Scalise, Paul and Brooks, Congressmen Brad Wenstrup, Ron DeSantis Chuck Fleischmann and Senator Jeff Flake were among the 15-25 people at Simpson Field in Alexandria for the practice.
Schools in the area have been placed on lockdown.
“The gun was a semiautomatic,” Brooks said, adding in an interview with FMTALK1065:
“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.
“Our security detail was able to incapacitate him at that point.
“I don’t know if he [shooter] was dead. He was wounded. I don’t know how many times he was wounded.”
Scalise is a 51-year old who has represented Louisiana’s First Congressional District since 2008; he chairs the House Republican Study Committee and is married with two kids.
He’s the first member of Congress to be shot since former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot in January 2011.
Tweeted President Trump soon after issuing the statement above:
“Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.”