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Congressional Ballgame Goes on Despite Tragic Shooting

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

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  • Updated Jun 15, 2017

The Congressional Baseball Game is still scheduled for today after a gunman opened fire during a baseball practice for the game.

Democrats and Republicans are calling for bipartisan unity in the wake of the shooting.

"This bipartisan event shows baseball's power to bring people together," the Nationals said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those wounded today and their families."

The 66-year-old shooter, James Hodgkinson, opened fire while Republicans were practicing on Wednesday. Republican Steve Scalise was hospitalized Wednesday. As of Thursday, he was in critical condition, according to CNN. The shot hit his left hip, but traveled across his pelvis, breaking several bones and injuring internal organs.

Four people were shot and two others suffered secondary injuries.

Hodgkinson died in a shootout with authorities.

The shooting is the first time a sitting member of Congress has been shot since Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot in 2011.

"My heart is with my former colleagues, their families & staff, and the US Capitol Police- public servants and heroes today and every day," Giffords tweeted after the baseball practice shooting.

President Donald Trump and his wife visited Scalise at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington.

"He's a patriot," Trump said. "And he's a fighter. He will recover from this assault- and Steve, I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation, and frankly, the entire world."

 

Photo: U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) wearing a Republican jersey leaves the site of a morning shooting at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park June 14, 2017 in Alexandria, Virginia. U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) was among five wounded, including the suspected gunman, in the attack as Republican Congressional members practiced for a charity baseball game.

Photo courtesy: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Publication date: June 15, 2017