Scalise has “improved in the last 24 hours, ” the hospital reports
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise remained in critical condition Thursday evening after undergoing a second surgery to deal with internal injuries and a broken bone in his leg following the shootout at an Alexandria, Va., baseball field, the hospital said.
“The Congressman will require additional operations, and will be in the hospital for some time.” the Medstar Washington Hospital Center said in a statement, adding that Scalise has “improved in the last 24 hours.”
A gunman opened fire on the Republican baseball team’s practice before Thursday’s annual charity baseball game, critically wounding Scalise, R-La., and injuring three other people as horrified legislators and staffers scrambled for cover amid a barrage of bullets. Scalise, the third most powerful Republican in the House, was shot through the hip.
Just before the game Thursday night, members of the Democratic and Republican teams knelt together in prayer near second place, where Scalise would have been playing. The crowd chanted “USA! USA!”
Later, the crowd burst into applause as Capitol Police Officer David Bailey — who was injured as he pursued the shooter — hobbled to the mound on crutches and tossed the ceremonial first pitch.
President Trump delivered a videotaped statement, saying, “we will not be intimidated … the game will go on.”
Capitol Police, who provided security for the practice, killed the shooter, identified by authorities as James Hodgkinson, 66, from Belleville, Ill. Two lawmakers who were leaving practice when they encountered Hodgkinson before the shooting believe he was targeting Republicans.
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