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Shooter targets Republican congressmen at Alexandria baseball practice, 5 injured (WATCH LIVE) | Shooter targets Republican congressmen at Alexandria baseball practice, 5 injured (WATCH LIVE) |
(35 minutes later) | |
Five people were injured when a gunman opened fire on US congressmen at a baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), the US House of Representatives Majority Whip, is among the injured. | Five people were injured when a gunman opened fire on US congressmen at a baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), the US House of Representatives Majority Whip, is among the injured. |
Alexandria police say that a suspect is in custody and is “not a threat”. | |
All votes scheduled for Wednesday in the House of Representatives have been canceled. President Donald Trump has also canceled this afternoon's speech at the Department of Labor. | |
Scalise is in stable condition and undergoing surgery, his office said in a statement. One congressional aide, two police officers, and the gunman are also among the injured. | |
Fox News reporter Chad Pergram says a gunman armed with a rifle attacked the group near a YMCA, firing dozens of shots. Alexandria is just south of Washington, DC. | |
Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown said five people were taken to hospital following the incident, but declined to identify the victims or the suspect at this time. | |
Scalise is currently the Majority Whip in the US House of Representatives and represents Louisiana's 1st congressional district. | |
Speaking on CNN, Representative Mo Brooks (R-Alabama) said Scalise was shot with a semi-automatic weapon. Brooks said he saw a man with a gun “blasting away.” Scalise's Capitol Police security detail returned fire. | |
Rep. Brooks reportedly used a belt as a tourniquet to stop Scalise's bleeding. | Rep. Brooks reportedly used a belt as a tourniquet to stop Scalise's bleeding. |
This is the first time a member of Congress has been shot since 2011, when Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Arizona) survived an assassination attempt at a town hall in Tucson. | |
White House Press secretary Sean Spicer said on Twitter that both President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are aware of the “developing situation”. | |
There are also reports that two police officers who were hospitalized after the shooting are also stable. | |
Scalise and other members of Congress were practicing for a charity baseball game scheduled for Thursday. Reuters is reporting that 15-25 lawmakers were at the baseball field when the attack occurred, along with a dozen staff members and security personnel. | |
The annual congressional baseball game, which sees senators and congressmen from each party face off against one another, has been a tradition since 1909. | The annual congressional baseball game, which sees senators and congressmen from each party face off against one another, has been a tradition since 1909. |
Congressman Ron DeSantis (R-Florida), who left the scene moments before the shooting, told Fox News that a man walked up to him as he was walking to his car and asked if it was “Republicans or Democrats out there.” | |
Congressman Mark Walker (R-North Carolina), told NBC News it seemed the "gunman was there to kill as many Republican members as possible." | |
Rep. Mike Bishop (R-Michigan) told WWJ radio that he witnessed Scalise being shot: “He was a sitting duck.” | |
A witness told journalist Will Drabold that he heard a “wave of gunfire” and saw 10-15 people flee the field. He said he also saw men returning fire from behind what looked to him like a federal vehicle. | |
“The Vice President and I are aware of the shooting incident in Virginia and are monitoring developments closely,” President Trump said in a statement. “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." | |
Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) was also at the baseball field. Speaking to MSNBC, he said “it would have been a massacre” if the Capitol Police security had not been at the scene. | |
Scalise, 51, has been a congressman since 2008. His leadership position among congressional Republicans means that he is entitled to a security detail. | |
US Capitol Police released a statement to congressional offices saying that they have deployed a “robust” police presence throughout the Capitol complex. However, they said that all buildings within the area are open in accordance with routine operations. |