A Republican leader in the US has been shot this morning whilst practicing baseball, it has been revealed.
The gunman – who has been named as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson – opened fire from the third base dugout today at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia. The shooting took place while the Congressional baseball team was practicing.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was struck in his hip by the spray of bullets, before crawling to a safe spot. Government staff member Zachary Barth was also hit and two police – Krystal Griner and David Bailey – officers were injured during the incident. All are expected to make a full recovery.
Hodgkinson was eventually shot by Capitol Hill police who had accompanied the Republican leader to the practice.
Speaking about the incident, fellow Republican President Trump confirmed that Scalise would make a full recovery and that he was a “true friend and patriot”.