Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup helped House Majority Whip Steve Scalise after the shooting at a Republican baseball practice Wednesday, and he compared the gunfire to when he served in Iraq.
Members were nearly breathless as they described the heroism of Capitol Police members who continued to shoot at the attacker despite being injured themselves.
Schools in the area near the shooting were immediately put on lockdown and bomb-sniffing dogs monitored the grounds of the U.S. Capitol at mid-morning.
Scalise was shot today at a Republican Party baseball practice in Virginia. According to both congressional and law enforcement sources, the shooting appears to be a "deliberate attack".
"He is grateful for the fearless actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders, and colleagues", said a statement released by the congressman's staff. Two Capitol Police officers were also injured but were expected to recover, along with a former congressional aide who was hospitalized.
Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown said officers responded within minutes, and they are collaborating with Capitol police, Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. MedStar Washington Hospital said on Twitter that he remains in critical condition, refuting an earlier status update from his office that he was in stable condition. Jeff Flake, who spoke to reporters Wednesday morning. The suspect was shooting at members and staff on the field.
Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders says the man authorities identified as opening fire on the Republican congressional baseball practice had apparently volunteered on his presidential campaign.
"They think he's going to be able to pull through this", Rep. Garret Graves, R-Louisiana, later told WBRZ-TV. Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson told the AP that Mika was taken to a hospital, and they are waiting on word of his condition. Scalise was coherent the whole time, Flake said.
Carol Jambon said Scalise's children often play at a nearby playground, and Capitol police are always in tow.
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"I don't think anyone would have survived without the Capitol Police", Paul told Fox News. "It would have been a massacre without them".
In a Wednesday news conference, Tim Slater, FBI special agent in charge, said the incident will be investigated with "state and local partners".
Capitol Police officers who were in Scalise's security detail wounded the shooter, who was taken into custody. He would not say whether the gunman was one of those transported.
"I couldn't see the shooter, but I wasn't positive, 'Am I standing on the right side of the tree or the wrong side of the tree?' And I'm looking around trying to determine if there's one shooter or two shooters", Paul said.
He said the shooter was behind the third base dugout and didn't say anything.
While it remains unknown if Scalise was an intended target, Brooks said the shooting didn't appear random. "It continued to fire at different people". "Really, then, you know, some people react to things like that". The House canceled proceedings for the day.
The House made a decision to not hold any votes on legislation Wednesday, and many hearings were delayed.
"Nobody would have survived without the Capitol Hill police", Paul said. Security has been tightened at the White House, officials said.
"The Vice President and I are aware of the shooting incident in Virginia and are monitoring developments closely", Trump said in a statement. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. "My thoughts and prayers go to Congressman Scalise, the injured staffers and law enforcement officers who were hurt by this senseless act of violence". White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer tweeted "our thoughts and prayers are with all affected". Neither was at the practice. Earlier reports had said Williams was also shot, but his office says the Texas congressman was not hurt in the attack. Gabby Giffords of Arizona was hit in the head and grievously injured while meeting with constituents at a supermarket parking lot in 2011.
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