Republicans have begun politicizing the shooting at the Congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia at which House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and several others were shot.
RELATED: House Majority Whip, Others Shot After Gunman Opens Fire at GOP Congressional Baseball Practice
Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) was first out of the gate, The Hill reports:
“I can only hope that the Democrats do tone down the rhetoric,” Collins told WBEN. “The rhetoric has been outrageous … the finger-pointing, just the tone and the angst and the anger directed at Donald Trump, his supporters.”
Collins said that it was inevitable someone was going to act based on the “rhetoric” towards President Trump and the GOP.
“You know, some people react to things like that. They get angry as well. And then you fuel the fires,” said Collins, who is among the most vocal Trump backers on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted:
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 14, 2017
Trump Jr’s tweet was highlighting that of another user who accused “NY elites” of “glorifying the assassination of our President.”
Events like today are EXACTLY why we took issue with NY elites glorifying the assassination of our President
— HARLAN Z. HILL 🇺🇸 (@Harlan) June 14, 2017
The shooter has been identified as James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, the WaPo reports:
The shooter at the GOP congressional baseball practice this morning is James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Ill., according to law enforcement officials. Hodgkinson, 66, owns a home inspection business. His home inspection license expired in November 2016 and was not renewed, state records show.
Hodgkinson was charged in April 2006 with battery and aiding damage to a motor vehicle, according to online records in St. Clair County, Illinois. The charges were dismissed, records show.
Users on social media are pointing to this as his Facebook page.
Donald Trump is going to make remarks about the shooting at 11:30 am.
