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A gunman opened fire at U.S. Congressmen and others who were gathered at a practice this morning for the Congressional Baseball Game. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and at least four others were reportedly injured. The gunman, who has been identified by unnamed sources as James T. Hodgkinson III, was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries:
A gunman unleashed a barrage of gunfire Wednesday at a park in Alexandria, Va., as Republican members of Congress held a morning baseball practice, wounding at least five people, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (La.).
The suspected gunman is James T. Hodgkinson III, 66, from Illinois, according to multiple law enforcement sources. President Trump announced that the gunman, who was wounded in a shootout with officers, has died at an area hospital.
The wounded also included two Capitol Police officers and a congressional aide, according to one law enforcement official and witness accounts.
Congressman Scalise was shot in the hip and is in stable condition.
Hodgkinson's motive may have already been identified by the media:
A Facebook page belonging to a person with the same name includes pictures of Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, and rhetoric against President Trump, including a post that reads: "Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co."
Charles Orear, 50, a restaurant manager from St. Louis, said in an interview Wednesday that he became friendly with Hodgkinson during their work together in Iowa on Sanders's campaign. Orear said Hodgkinson was a passionate progressive and showed no signs of violence or malice toward others.
Also at LA Times, Reuters, The Atlantic, The Hill, and CNN.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 14 2017, @06:33PM (2 children)
We are in the fascist state, it just hasn't reached critical levels. How we handle the upcoming civil unrest will decide whether we edge back towards our original values or into the gaping maw of fear and fascism that many would like to send us into.
I've been very glad to see some recent pushback against the fascist policies, but violent crazies are likely to give the evil people all the justification they need to clamp down. I think conservatives are actually in a better position to stand against the fascists, so don't react in fear please! Instead react like freedom loving adults who are brave enough to stand up for what is right in the face of fascists trying to manipulate them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 14 2017, @09:39PM (1 child)
I agree, however when the far-left even labels moderates as 'fascist' and better adjusted people don't call them out, then there is a serious problem.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 14 2017, @11:30PM
We gotta be there to call em' out. I'm a hermit but I'll speak up if I see some of this bullshit flying around.
We need thousands and thousands of public mediators. Perhaps a new branch to local police. They only carry non-lethal protection and they can mediate any public argument.