Louisiana representative among those wounded in Virginia shooting

Two+people+embrace+near+the+blocked-off+crime+scene+in+Alexandria%2C+Va.%2C+where+a+congressman+and+several+others%C2%A0were+wounded+in+a+shooting+during+a+congressional+baseball+practice+Wednesday.+

Andrew Harrer

Two people embrace near the blocked-off crime scene in Alexandria, Va., where a congressman and several others were wounded in a shooting during a congressional baseball practice Wednesday.

​Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise and four others were injured in a shooting at a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia. 

Steve Scalise Photo courtesy: ABC News

Scalise, who also serves as the majority whip of the House of Representatives, was at the baseball field practicing for an annual charity game when shots rang out.

Scalise was at second base when he was hit.

Witnesses said he “army crawled” away from the gunshots to get to safety, according to an article written by The New York Times.

Other representatives were in attendance including Representative Mike Bishop, (R-MI), who was at home plate when the gunman opened fire.

“He was hunting us at that point. There was so much gunfire, you couldn’t get up and run,” Bishop said in the New York Times’ article.

The gunman, later identified as James T. Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Illinois, was killed during a gun battle with both Alexandria and Capitol Police officers. 

James T. Hodgkinson Photo courtesy: LA Times

Scalise was flanked by two Capitol Police officers at the event. Both officers were injured during the shooting.

An aide to Representative Roger Williams, (R-TX) was also injured during the shooting.

Matt Mika, a former congressional staff member and director of government relations for Tyson Foods’ Washington office, was also shot.

Mika and Scalise are in critical condition. Everyone else is in stable condition or has been released.

President Trump released a statement following the incident praising the actions of Capitol Police.

“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,” Trump said in his statement.