GOP House Majority Whip Steve Scalise is in a stable condition after a rabid left-wing activist named James Hodgkinso, 66, opened fire upon the house republican baseball team during practice Wednesday morning.

James T. Hodgkinson was a former campaign volunteer for Bernie Sanders. After asking if those practicing were Democrats or Republicans, he opened fire on players with a high powered rifle from the third base dugout (Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia) The group was taking grounders and practicing batting at around 7.00am.

Zachary Barth, a congressional staffer for Texas Rep. Roger Williams, was also shot but is expected to fully recover.  Two US Capitol Police officers who were accompanying Scalise were wounded as they exchanged fire with the gunman. They are both in a ‘good condition’ in hospital.

(Via Daily Mail) […]  Scalise’s office said while he was undergoing emergency surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center that he was in ‘stable condition.’  ‘Prior to entering surgery, the Whip was in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone,’ a spokesperson said.

He is grateful for the brave actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders, and colleagues.’

Texas Rep. Roger Williams tweeted that Barth, a legislative correspondent in his office, was being treated in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.  Barth wrote on Facebook shortly after: ‘I got shot this morning at the baseball fields but I am in the hospital and okay. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers.

Michigan Rep. Mike Bishop described how one man – thought to be part of Scalise’s Capitol Police protection detail – stood his ground to return fire as the congressmen and at least one of their children dove for cover in a dugout and Scalise dragged himself across the field after being hit, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

He told CBS Detroit: ‘As we were standing here this morning, a gunman walked up to the fence line and just began to shoot. I was standing at home plate and he was in the third base line. He had a rifle that was clearly meant for the job of taking people out, multiple casualties, and he had several rounds and magazines that he kept unloading and reloading.’

He said: ‘The only reason why any of us walked out of this thing, by the grace of God, one of the folks here had a weapon to fire back and give us a moment to find cover.’

‘We were inside the backstop and if we didn’t have that cover by a brave person who stood up and took a shot themselves, we would not have gotten out of there and every one of us would have been hit — every single one of us.

‘He was coming around the fence line and he was looking for all of us who had found cover in different spots. But if we didn’t have return fire right there, he would have come up to each one of us and shot us point-blank.’

President Donald Trump also praised the two cops for their ‘heroic actions’, saying ‘many lives’ would have been lost if they had not been there.

‘Congressman Scalise is a friend and a very good friend. He’s a patriot and he’s a fighter. 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,’ Trump said.

‘Many lives would have been lost if not for the heroic actions of the two Capitol Police officers who took down the gunman despite sustaining gunshot wounds during a very, very brutal assault.

‘Melania and I are grateful for their heroism and praying for the swift recovery of all victims.’

The group was practicing for a charity match which is due to take place on Thursday at Nationals Park when they were attacked. Three men escaped and took shelter in an apartment building nearby. (read more)

The shooter was 66-year-old James T Hodgkison (FACEBOOK HERE) A Bernie Sanders campaign volunteer.

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