GOP House Majority Whip from New Orleans shot early Wednesday morning at baseball practice
The House Majority Whip for the US Congress, Steve Scalise, was shot along with several others during a charity baseball game practice early Wednesday morning in Alexandria, VA. As of Wednesday evening, the New Orleans Congressman remained in critical condition following surgery.
Federal law enforcement officials identified the alleged shooter as James Hodgkinson, 66, or Belleville, Illinois, who died following a shootout with authorities on the scene.
Scalise is the third-ranking member of the House Republican leadership. President Donald Trump characterized him as a patriot in a televised address to the nation.
“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,” Trump said.
Two firearms were recovered from the scene–an SKS 7.62 rifle and a 9mm pistol. The investigation into why the attack occurred is still under investigation by joint law enforcement teams.
