A shooter opened fire on Republican lawmakers practicing baseball in Alexandria, Virginia this morning. Among those reportedly hit during the attack was House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, and at least one congressional aide.
A lengthy shootout with capitol police ensued, and Alexandria police say they have the shooter in custody, but have not released further details. All of the victims are reportedly in stable condition.
Witnesses, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), described a grisly scene to reporters this morning.
“It was a killing field,” Paul told CNN. Scalise reportedly dragged himself off the field after being shot in the hip.
Republican lawmakers were practicing for the annual bipartisan congressional baseball game at a location they have been practicing at for several years. The attack happened during batting practice.
Sen. Flake said the shooter “had a rifle of some kind. It was obviously a large gauge rifle” and described the attack as lasting for roughly 10 minutes. Flake estimated that more than 50 shots were fired.
Flake also said he assumed that the GOP lawmakers were purposely targeted. “It looks like only one shooter. You gotta assume he knew what he was doing,” Flake told CNN. No official statement as to the shooter’s motivation has been released.
Witnesses have said that at least one member of the security detail was wounded in the attack.
“Nobody would have survived without the Capitol Hill Police,” Sen. Rand Paul said on CNN this morning. “It would have been a massacre without them.”
This story is still developing.
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