Florida Congressman’s Chance Encounter With Scalise Shooter Right Before It Happened


Having wrapped up practice, DeSantis decided to leave before some of his other colleagues. As he was exiting the ball field in Alexandria, Virginia, a man came up to him in the parking lot and posed an odd question.

Are those Republicans or Democrats out there practicing?”

Looking back on the exchange, DeSantis noted that the man fit the description of the shooter who opened fire on the practice with what appeared to be an automatic rifle.

Steve Scalise was present and had a security detail on hand from the U.S. Capitol Police department. Because Scalise holds a leadership position in the Congress, serving as Majority Whip, he is entitled to personal security.

Special Agents David Bailey and Krystal Griner returned and exchanged fire with the assailant. Both officers were wounded, but their injuries were not life-threatening. They are expected to make a full recovery.

Scalise was shot in the hip and evacuated by helicopter to a DC hospital where he underwent successful surgery.  First responders got to the scene about 10 minutes after the shooting.  In the interim, Scalise was tended to by colleagues with medical training who put pressure on his wound and applied a makeshift tourniquet.

Also wounded in the shooting incident were Zack Barth, a congressional aide to Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, and Tyson Foods director of government relations Matt Mika

The shooter was identified as 66-year old James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois. A quick review of his social media postings indicates that Hodgkinson was an avid Bernie Sanders supporter who expressed his intense hatred for Donald Trump and Republicans.

It is not known if Hodgkinson targeted Scalise specifically. The Louisiana congressman was an early and vocal supporter of Donald Trump’s presidential bid.

President Trump appeared around 11 a.m. Eastern time to make a brief statement about the shooting. In his remarks, he revealed that Hodgkinson had died from his wounds.

For DeSantis, the parking lot encounter with the shooter no doubt will leave an eerie memory. The Florida congressman has represented the 6th Congressional District since 2013 and earned a reputation as a staunch conservative. He is a graduate of Yale University, where he was captain of the baseball team. He also holds a law degree from Harvard University.

While at Harvard, he earned his commission as a JAG officer in the United States Navy. He served in Iraq during the 2007 troop surge, advising the U.S. Navy SEAL mission.  He remains active in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant Commander.



Share

18 Comments

Leave a Reply

Pin It on Pinterest