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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Virginia shooting: House majority whip shot at congressional baseball practice – live | Virginia shooting: House majority whip shot at congressional baseball practice – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.31pm BST | |
| 14:31 | |
| Video from Arlington Police Chief Michael Brown’s press conference a short while ago: | |
| APD Chief Michael Brown updated media. 5 transported to local hospitals, including suspect. We will not ID victims or suspect right now. pic.twitter.com/pPYlqEjACM | |
| 2.14pm BST | |
| 14:14 | |
| Congressman Mo Brooks’s full recollection of the incident on CNN: | |
| I was on deck about to hit batting practice on the third base side of home plate and I heard a loud ‘bam’ and I look around and behind third base and the third base dugout which is cinderblock, I see a rifle. And I see a little bit of a body and I then hear another ‘blam’ and I realize that there’s an active shooter. | |
| At the same time I heard Steve Scalise over near second base scream, he was shot, he’s our majority whip. The gun was a semi-automatic. It continues to fire at different people. You can imagine all the people on 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, and hide behind the plastic. You know the plastic’s not real good. And I was lying on the ground with two or three others as gunfire continues. | |
| I heard a break in the gunfire and decided to take a chance, ran from home plate to the first base dugout, which is also cinderblock and down about two or three feet so you can have better cover. There were a number of congressman and congressional staffers who help us 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. | |
| In the meantime, I’m towards the right field side of the dugout and there’s gunfire within about five six seven feel of my head and I look up and there’s a guy with a gun blasting away. Fortunately, it was one of the good guys. One of our security detail who was shooting back. Of course it was pistol versus rifle, our pistols versus the shooter’s rifle on the third base line just outside the chain link fence and he was warning us to stay down. Another security detail person was closer to home plate, probably, I couldn’t see him but probably on the home plate side of the dugout, outside the fence line using the dugout as cover as he’s firing back. | |
| And there must have been 50 to 100 shots fired. Hard to uh, itemize ‘em. Eventually it seems that the shooter shot both of our security detail people. There were some congressman on phones screaming for reinforcements. | |
| Seemed like a long time and we weren’t even hearing sirens from local police officers which tells me they probably did not yet know what was going on. Eventually the shooter starts circling around third base. This is my understanding. Of course I’m down on the ground helping a guy who’s got a bullet hole in his leg. And the shooter starts coming around home plate towards we are outside the fence line and my understanding is that’s where our security detail, maybe some of the ones who were wounded, still defending us, took him down. | |
| At which point, once we got the all clear that the shooter was down, we ran out to second base for Steve Scalise. He had crawled into the outfield leaving a trail of blood. We started giving him some liquids. I put pressure on the wound in his hip. And Brad Wenstrup, congressman from Ohio, Cincinnati, fortunately is a physician, he started doing what you need to do to minimize the blood loss. | |
| Shorty thereafter more the police showed up. Again, it seemed like forever but it was probably shorter that what it seemed. A helicopter landed in center field and took away whomever 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 base line and the chain link fence and cordoning off the area to help ensure if there was a second shooter we would be better protected. | |
| 2.12pm BST | |
| 14:12 | |
| Donald Trump has tweeted thoughts and prayers for Scalise. | |
| He describes Scalise as having been badly injured but says he is expected to full recover. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s office has said his wounds are not life-threatening. | |
| Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. | |
| 2.10pm BST | |
| 14:10 | |
| Gabrielle Giffords, the former congresswoman who was shot in the head in 2011 and campaigns against gun violence, has tweeted: | |
| My heart is with my former colleagues, their families & staff, and the US Capitol Police- public servants and heroes today and every day. | |
| 2.04pm BST | |
| 14:04 | |
| Senator Rand Paul on the Capitol Hill Police: | |
| Nobody else had a weapon so he was just killing everyone - or he would have. I think the Capitol Hill Police, both were wounded and I hope they survive. They deserve our gratitude for saving - it would have been a massacre without them. | |
| “Our lives were saved by the Capitol police,” said Sen. Rand Paul, adding, “the field was basically a killing field.” | |
| On the baseball game the legislators were practicing for: | |
| It’s really one of the best things we do, it’s a bipartisan thing, i’ve gotten to know many Democrats through this game. We joke around, it’s collegial, it’s for charity. We’re set to raise $600,000 for the literacy project of the Boys and Girls Club of DC. It’s a good thing. Who would want to kill people trying to do something good. It’s just really sick and very sad. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.07pm BST | |
| 1.48pm BST | 1.48pm BST |
| 13:48 | 13:48 |
| Congressman Jeff Flake says about 25 Republican lawmakers were on the field at the time of the incident. Here is a partial list from Representative Mo Brooks’s recollection: | Congressman Jeff Flake says about 25 Republican lawmakers were on the field at the time of the incident. Here is a partial list from Representative Mo Brooks’s recollection: |
| Steve Scalise, Louisiana | Steve Scalise, Louisiana |
| Rand Paul, Kentucky | |
| Roger Williams, Texas | Roger Williams, Texas |
| Joe Barton, Texas | Joe Barton, Texas |
| Ron DeSantis, Florida | Ron DeSantis, Florida |
| Chuck Fleischmann, Tennessee | Chuck Fleischmann, Tennessee |
| Jeff Flake, Arizona | Jeff Flake, Arizona |
| Brad Wenstrup, Ohio | Brad Wenstrup, Ohio |
| Gary Palmer, Alabama | Gary Palmer, Alabama |
| Mo Brooks, Alabama | Mo Brooks, Alabama |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.04pm BST | |
| 1.48pm BST | 1.48pm BST |
| 13:48 | 13:48 |
| Here is video from the scene: | Here is video from the scene: |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.04pm BST | |
| 1.44pm BST | 1.44pm BST |
| 13:44 | 13:44 |
| David Taylor | David Taylor |
| Rand Paul, the Republican senator for Kentucky, told MSNBC he was practising in a batting cage just outside the fence to the baseball field when the shots started. | Rand Paul, the Republican senator for Kentucky, told MSNBC he was practising in a batting cage just outside the fence to the baseball field when the shots started. |
| He heard a succession of five or 10 shots and then realised the Republican majority whip senator Steve Scalise was hit on the baseball field and was “trying to drag himself through the dirt towards the dugout”. | He heard a succession of five or 10 shots and then realised the Republican majority whip senator Steve Scalise was hit on the baseball field and was “trying to drag himself through the dirt towards the dugout”. |
| Two Congressional staffers were also on the ground, with shots kicking up dirt all around them, he said. | Two Congressional staffers were also on the ground, with shots kicking up dirt all around them, he said. |
| Paul, who hid behind a tree with a staffer who leapt over a high fence, described shots landing in the dirt in the outfield and around them. | Paul, who hid behind a tree with a staffer who leapt over a high fence, described shots landing in the dirt in the outfield and around them. |
| He said at one point the gunman, who he thought was armed with a rifle must have reloaded and then there were 50 or 60 shots. | He said at one point the gunman, who he thought was armed with a rifle must have reloaded and then there were 50 or 60 shots. |
| “Everybody probably would have died except for the fact that the Capitol Hill police were there,” he said. | “Everybody probably would have died except for the fact that the Capitol Hill police were there,” he said. |
| The Republicans have been having regular morning practice at the field for about two months in advance of Thursday’s charity congressional baseball game at Nationals Park. | The Republicans have been having regular morning practice at the field for about two months in advance of Thursday’s charity congressional baseball game at Nationals Park. |
| Armed police were there because Senator Scalise, a member of the leadership is on their team, Paul said. | Armed police were there because Senator Scalise, a member of the leadership is on their team, Paul said. |
| “The Capitol Hill police, incredibly brave, probably saved the lives of everybody there. Had they not been there it would have been a massacre because there’s no escape, a guy, if he has got 100 bullets, we had no weapons and no place to hide.” | “The Capitol Hill police, incredibly brave, probably saved the lives of everybody there. Had they not been there it would have been a massacre because there’s no escape, a guy, if he has got 100 bullets, we had no weapons and no place to hide.” |
| So if he had advanced on the rest of us, there would have been no chance ... shots were returned by the Capitol Hill police. From what I understand, they both were shot, I hope they are OK. One still protected the scene after being shot.” | So if he had advanced on the rest of us, there would have been no chance ... shots were returned by the Capitol Hill police. From what I understand, they both were shot, I hope they are OK. One still protected the scene after being shot.” |
| 1.41pm BST | 1.41pm BST |
| 13:41 | 13:41 |
| Congressman Mo Brooks said that Scalise “crawled into the outfield, leaving a trail of blood”. | Congressman Mo Brooks said that Scalise “crawled into the outfield, leaving a trail of blood”. |
| “We started giving him the liquids; I put pressure on his wound in his hip,” Brooks said. | “We started giving him the liquids; I put pressure on his wound in his hip,” Brooks said. |
| 1.38pm BST | 1.38pm BST |
| 13:38 | 13:38 |
| NBC News and Reuters are both reporting that Congressman Steve Scalise as well as two capitol hill police officers struck by gunfire are in stable condition. | NBC News and Reuters are both reporting that Congressman Steve Scalise as well as two capitol hill police officers struck by gunfire are in stable condition. |
| 1.38pm BST | 1.38pm BST |
| 13:38 | 13:38 |
| Donald Trump has issued a statement to say he is monitoring the shooting: | Donald Trump has issued a statement to say he is monitoring the shooting: |
| 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 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. |
| 1.37pm BST | 1.37pm BST |
| 13:37 | 13:37 |
| Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told MSNBC that he heard as many as 50 shots. | Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told MSNBC that he heard as many as 50 shots. |
| Shots landed near aides taking cover on the ground, he said, and one staffer scrambled over a fence to escape. | Shots landed near aides taking cover on the ground, he said, and one staffer scrambled over a fence to escape. |
| 1.35pm BST | 1.35pm BST |
| 13:35 | 13:35 |
| Representative Mike Bishop of Michigan said Scalise was standing on second base when he was shot. | Representative Mike Bishop of Michigan said Scalise was standing on second base when he was shot. |
| “I was looking right at him,” Bishop told Detroit radio station WWJ. “He was a sitting duck.” | “I was looking right at him,” Bishop told Detroit radio station WWJ. “He was a sitting duck.” |
| Representative Jeff Duncan said in a statement that he was at the practice and “saw the shooter”. | Representative Jeff Duncan said in a statement that he was at the practice and “saw the shooter”. |
| “Please pray for my colleagues,” Duncan said. | “Please pray for my colleagues,” Duncan said. |
| 1.34pm BST | 1.34pm BST |
| 13:34 | 13:34 |
| Alexandria, Virginia, is about 10 miles south of Washington DC. | Alexandria, Virginia, is about 10 miles south of Washington DC. |
| 1.30pm BST | 1.30pm BST |
| 13:30 | 13:30 |
| Alexandria police have now confirmed that the suspect is in custody. | Alexandria police have now confirmed that the suspect is in custody. |
| UPDATE: Suspect is in custody and not a threat. PIO will be onscene shortly to share updates. | UPDATE: Suspect is in custody and not a threat. PIO will be onscene shortly to share updates. |
| 1.29pm BST | 1.29pm BST |
| 13:29 | 13:29 |
| A congressional aide has told AP Steve Scalise is in stable condition at George Washington University Hospital. In Mo Brooks’ CNN interview, he said Scalise had a “hip wound”. | A congressional aide has told AP Steve Scalise is in stable condition at George Washington University Hospital. In Mo Brooks’ CNN interview, he said Scalise had a “hip wound”. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.42pm BST | at 1.42pm BST |
| 1.18pm BST | 1.18pm BST |
| 13:18 | 13:18 |
| Congressman Mo Brooks is giving a remarkable eyewitness interview on CNN. | Congressman Mo Brooks is giving a remarkable eyewitness interview on CNN. |
| Of the shooter he said: | Of the shooter he said: |
| I don’t know if he was killed but I tell you I don’t have any kind thoughts about the shooter so let’s leave it at that. | I don’t know if he was killed but I tell you I don’t have any kind thoughts about the shooter so let’s leave it at that. |
| He appeared to be a white male. But bear in mind I saw him for just a second or two, a fraction of a second. | He appeared to be a white male. But bear in mind I saw him for just a second or two, a fraction of a second. |
| If I had to guess, middle aged … he wasn’t skinny, but he did not appear to be obese either. | If I had to guess, middle aged … he wasn’t skinny, but he did not appear to be obese either. |
| Describing the situation, Brooks said: | Describing the situation, Brooks said: |
| You’re pretty helpless. It’s not a good situation to be in. I don’t know what took our security detail as long as it took them to start exchanging fire … It seemed like a long time but it might have been seconds … They exhibited tremendous bravery. | You’re pretty helpless. It’s not a good situation to be in. I don’t know what took our security detail as long as it took them to start exchanging fire … It seemed like a long time but it might have been seconds … They exhibited tremendous bravery. |
| I got a glimpse of the shooter which meant he also could see me if he looked in my direction. At that point I ran around home plate. | I got a glimpse of the shooter which meant he also could see me if he looked in my direction. At that point I ran around home plate. |
| There were probably 10, 20, 30 shots fired while two or three of us were seeking cover. | There were probably 10, 20, 30 shots fired while two or three of us were seeking cover. |
| At least five people were hit with bullets. | At least five people were hit with bullets. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.26pm BST | at 1.26pm BST |
| 1.18pm BST | 1.18pm BST |
| 13:18 | 13:18 |
| Police are investigating a shooting at a congressional baseball practice session in Virginia. | Police are investigating a shooting at a congressional baseball practice session in Virginia. |
| Steve Scalise, the Republican House majority whip, and at least four others have been shot, Alabama congressman Mo Brooks told CNN. | Steve Scalise, the Republican House majority whip, and at least four others have been shot, Alabama congressman Mo Brooks told CNN. |
| The extent of Scalise’s injuries are unknown. | The extent of Scalise’s injuries are unknown. |
| Other lawmakers at the gathering in Alexandria are now secure, Brooks told CNN. | Other lawmakers at the gathering in Alexandria are now secure, Brooks told CNN. |
| Alexandria police said the suspect was believed to be in custody. | Alexandria police said the suspect was believed to be in custody. |
| More details soon ... | More details soon ... |
| ALERT: APD investigating multiple shooting 400 block E Monroe St. Suspect believed in custody. Stay from area, let emergency vehicles thru. | ALERT: APD investigating multiple shooting 400 block E Monroe St. Suspect believed in custody. Stay from area, let emergency vehicles thru. |
| APD PIO heading to scene, updates will be posted when available. Victims being transported to hospitals. | APD PIO heading to scene, updates will be posted when available. Victims being transported to hospitals. |