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A gunman has opened fire on Republican members of Congress during a baseball practice session near Washington, injuring several people including House of Representatives majority whip Steve Scalise, police and witnesses say.
Key points:
- Representative Mo Brooks estimates 50 to 100 shots fired
- Steve Scalise is one of the most senior figures in Congress
- Donald Trump says he's "deeply saddened by this tragedy"
Capitol Police said officers who were part of Mr Scalise's security detail returned fire and injured the shooter, who was taken into custody.
In a dramatic blow-by-blow account, Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama told CNN the gunman was armed with a rifle and appeared to be a white male.
Mr Brooks said he saw the man only for a second, and that he was shooting from a fence behind the third base position on the field where the congressional group was holding an early morning practice session ahead of a game against Democrats this week.
"There must have been 50 to 100 shots fired," Mr Brooks told CNN, adding he helped apply a tourniquet with his belt to a congressional staffer who was shot in the leg.
"I hear Steve Scalise over near second base scream. He was shot.
"One of our security detail was shooting back, but it was our pistol versus the shooter's rifle.
"The only weapon I had was a baseball bat."
Two of the injured were Capitol Hill police who were at the scene, witnesses said.
Republican Senator Jeff Flake said Mr Scalise was shot in the left hip.
"All of a sudden we heard a very loud shot. The gunman was over by the third base dugout with a clear view of the field," Mr Flake told CNN.
US President Donald Trump said on Twitter "a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover".
Mr Scalise's position as whip in the Republican-controlled House makes him one of the most senior figures in Congress. He is a representative from Louisiana.
The group were practicing for the annual Democrats versus Republicans congressional baseball game that was scheduled to be played on Thursday.
'Going after elected officials'
Mr Brooks said it was common knowledge politicians were practicing at the field.
"It's pretty well known in the neighbourhood who those folks are on the baseball field," Mr Brooks said.
"It's not a secret we are practicing ... He was going after elected officials."
Democrats were also practicing at another field at a different location, CNN reported.
Reba Winstead lives not far from where the shooting happened.
"I was on my front porch and that is when I heard the first round of shots," she said.
"There was about a dozen shots. There was a pause. Then there was more shooting. I called 911."
Mr Trump said in a statement he and Vice-President Mike Pence were monitoring developments closely.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragedy," he said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol Police, first responders, and all others affected."
House Speaker Paul Ryan's office said Mr Scalise's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening and that a member of the security detail was also shot.
Mr Scalise is the third-highest ranked member of the Republican leadership in the House, and has the difficult job of trying to keep order in the fractious party ranks and rounding up votes for bills.
Reuters/AP
Topics: world-politics, emergency-incidents, united-states
First posted