James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old Illinois man, has been identified as the shooter in the congressional baseball practice shooting that left House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and others injured.
The shooting took place at around 6:30 A.M. at a practice field in Alexandria, Virginia, where the politicians were practicing for a charity match which was supposed to take place on Thursday at Nationals Park.
According to witnesses, James T. Hodgkinson fired dozens, if not up to a hundred, shots from the third base dugout at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia, as the group was at batting practice around 7:00 A.M. EST. Hodgkinson began firing after asking the group if they were “Democrats or Republicans.”
Hodgkinson has died from his injuries.
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Via The Hill:
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) is in stable condition after being shot early Wednesday at a baseball practice field in a Washington D.C. suburb, according to multiple reports.
Scalise was one of several people shot at the practice in Alexandria, Va., where it is believed a single gunman fired as many as 50 shots at lawmakers and aides who scrambled for cover.
A police spokesman told The Washington Post that the shooter had been shot and was taken to the hospital. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), his voice breaking, told CNN that “at least five” people were shot at the field, while Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said six people had been wounded.
Along with Scalise, a congressional staffer for Texas Rep. Roger Williams and two Capitol Police officers were shot.
Lawmakers described a chaotic scene. Rep. Mel Brooks told CNN the shooter was near third base when the gunfire began.
“I see a rifle, and I see a little bit of a body and then I hear another bam and I realize there’s still an active shooter. At the same time I hear Steve Scalise over at 2nd base scream — he was shot,” Brooks said.
About James T. Hodgkinson
According to Hodgkinson’s Facebook page, he is a Belleville, Illinois, native owns a company, JTH Inspections, also called JTH Construction, and studied at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
He went to Belleville Township High School and also studied flight training at Southwestern Illinois College.
According to the Washington Post, was charged with battery and aiding damage to a vehicle in April 2006 in St. Clair County, Illinois. However, the charges were eventually dismissed.
via Washington Post:
The shooter at the GOP congressional baseball practice this morning is James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Ill., according to law enforcement officials. Hodgkinson, 66, owns a home inspection business. His home inspection license expired in November 2016 and was not renewed, state records show.
Hodgkinson was charged in April 2006 with battery and aiding damage to a motor vehicle, according to online records in St. Clair County, Illinois. The charges were dismissed, records show.
Charles Orear, 50, a restaurant manager from St. Louis, described Hodgkinson as a “quiet guy” who was “very mellow, very reserved” when they stayed overnight at a Sanders supporter’s home in Rock Island, Illinois.
Hodgkinson was politically active on Facebook. His profile features a banner photo of Bernie Sanders, and he has shared articles about President Trump, including one in which he says ‘Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.’
Hodgkinson died from his injuries at the hospital.
President Donald Trump has issued an official statement on 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.
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