National Security

Here’s How The GOP Baseball Shooting Occurred, Step-By-Step

REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

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Russ Read Pentagon/Foreign Policy Reporter
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A graphic by the Washington Post breaks down Wednesday’s shooting at a Republican baseball practice in Alexandria step-by-step.

The bird’s eye view of the baseball field shows that the shooter, James Hodgkinson, entered the field near the third base line as the Republican Congressional members were practicing for an upcoming charity baseball game.

Hodgkinson, who was reportedly armed with an AR-15 rifle and handgun, took aim at Mississippi Rep. Trent Kelly, who was playing third base, from outside the fence. He began firing and moved toward home plate, then back toward the third base dugout, missing Kelly. Hodgkinson hit Rep. Steve Scalise, the majority whip, who was playing second base at the time. It is unclear if Hodgkinson was aiming for Scalise, but given the shooter’s vantage point, it is possible his missed rounds hit the Republican whip. Scalise was hit in the hip area, and was able to crawl to outfield. He is currently listed as being in critical condition.

Mike Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods, was also shot several times in the chest during the attack. He underwent surgery and is in critical condition at the time of writing of this article.

Zack Barth, a congressional staffer for Texas Rep. Roger Williams, was also hit while in the outfield and ran back into the first base dugout. Two other staffers prostrated themselves in the outfield, with one later jumping the fence where Sen. Rand Paul was hiding behind a tree.

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Two Capitol Police officers, David Bailey and Crystal Griner, who were assigned to Scalise’s personal security detail, were behind the first base dugout when the shooting began, and moved toward Hodgkinson’s location. They exchanged fire with the shooter, and Alexandria police later joined them. Both Bailey and Griner sustained injuries, but were still able to shoot Hodgkinson, who later died from his wounds.

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