Scalise was among four people shot by a lone gunman who opened fire on a group of Republican lawmakers practicing baseball at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park. The shooter, identified as James Hodgkinson, 66, of IL, was shot and killed by law enforcement. The injuries had put the majority whip at an "imminent risk of death", said Jack Sava, director of trauma care for MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
As congressional Republicans and Democrats joined Thursday night in their annual baseball game, played this year in Scalise's honor, word came from the hospital that he remained in critical condition, but had "improved in the last 24 hours". The congressman underwent another surgery Saturday, and the hospital says he is more responsive and speaking with family.
President Donald Trump said Friday that Steve Scalise "took a bullet for all of us".
The surgeon said there were hundreds of bullet fragments in Mr Scalise's body, but "we have no intention to try and remove all the bullet fragments at this point".
"I feel a lot more confident and a lot more optimistic than I did two, three days ago", Dr Sava said. Scalise remains hospitalized in critical condition.
"He will certainly be in the hospital for a considerable period of time", he said.
Indian escapes from Bali prison
He was arrested in April 2016 after he signed into a guest house in Kuta under the name Michael John Bayman from a passport. They tunneled their way out. "We found two buckets, some towels and sandals near it (the tunnel entrance)", he said.
Sava said the congressman remains sedated but was able to "respond to family members" and physicians.
On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that it continues to process evidence and "to assess the potential motivations of the single shooter". Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, was fatally shot in a firefight with police.
Trump, in Miami this afternoon delivering remarks on Cuba policy changes, said of Scalise, "Because of him and the tremendous pain and suffering he's now enduring - he's having a hard time, far worse than anybody thought - our country will perhaps become closer, more unified".
Griner, who was also shot, is in the hospital in good condition and spirits after a gunshot wound to the ankle, Sava said today. Capitol Police officer David Bailey and Texas Rep. Roger Williams were also injured during the incident.
Bailey was spotted Friday in the Capitol, on crutches and out of uniform, accepting congratulations from fellow officers.
Comments