House Majority Whip Steve Scalise has improved to fair condition, according to his doctors. The Louisiana Republican was shot during a baseball practice last week.
When Scalise was shot last week, a bullet punctured his left hip and traveled across to the other hip, causing « substantial damage » to his blood vessels, bones and some internal organs, Dr. Jack Sava, who treated Scalise at the hospital, said Friday.
Scalise arrived at the hospital « with an imminent risk of death, » Sava said. However, after multiple surgeries, Scalise showed signs of improvement, and by Saturday, his condition was upgraded from critical to serious.
Scalise faces a long road of rehabilitation, but doctors « fully expect to him to walk … and hopefully run » in the future, Sava said.
During the congressional baseball practice June 14, a gunman injured Scalise, congressional staffer Zach Barth, Tyson Foods lobbyist Matt Mika and two members of the Capitol Police force, Crystal Griner and David Bailey.
Law enforcement officials identified the shooter as 66-year-old James Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, who later died from injuries sustained during a shootout with police on the scene.
House Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry organized a blood drive Tuesday in support of Scalise and the other victims of last week’s shooting.
Among those participating were Vice President Mike Pence and California Rep. Pete Aguilar.
