The man who wounded at least five people when he opened fire on GOP congress members’ baseball practice Wednesday was the former owner of a construction company and a home inspection service
A former home inspector and construction company owner who opened fire on Republican members of Congress who were at baseball practice died after a shootout with police, according to a Washington Post report.
The shooter, identified as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson III, wounded two police officers in the shootout. His Facebook page included rhetoric against President Donald Trump, including a post reading: “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”
The shooting occurred around 7 a.m. Wednesday at an Arlington, Va., park. Republican congress members were holding their final practice before a scheduled charity baseball game in which they would face their Democratic colleagues.
Hodgkinson allegedly opened fire, wounding at least five people including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.). Scalise’s office said Wednesday that he was in good spirits after undergoing surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the manager of the Republican ball team, said that there were “dozens, if not hundreds, of shots fired.”
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) told the Post that he heard two or three shots before he realized what was going on. Then he heard a scream from Scalise, who fell to the ground and dragged himself toward the outfield.
While no motive has been established for the attack, authorities are considering Hodgkinson’s political beliefs as a possible driver, according to the Post. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) said that Hodgkinson had volunteered for his presidential campaign and denounced the shooting.
“I am sickened by this despicable act,” Sanders said Wednesday on the Senate floor.
Hodgkinson, a Belleville, Ill., resident, is the former owner of JHT Construction and JHT Inspections, according to the Belleville News Democrat. He belonged to a number of anti-Republican Facebook groups and had a criminal record that included charges of resisting a peace officer, eluding police, driving under the influence and criminal property damage.
On Google’s review page for JHT Inspections, one recent reviewer claimed that she had hired Hodgkinson to inspect her home and gotten a bad feeling about him during the transaction.
“Something about this guy rubbed ne the wrong way when I was purchasing a home after moving here from Mexico,” the reviewer said. “He made some off-hand comments about politics and I mentioned being a conservative, and he thought I was an idiot for that reason.”
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The shooter, identified as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson III, wounded two police officers in the shootout. His Facebook page included rhetoric against President Donald Trump, including a post reading: “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”
The shooting occurred around 7 a.m. Wednesday at an Arlington, Va., park. Republican congress members were holding their final practice before a scheduled charity baseball game in which they would face their Democratic colleagues.
Hodgkinson allegedly opened fire, wounding at least five people including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.). Scalise’s office said Wednesday that he was in good spirits after undergoing surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the manager of the Republican ball team, said that there were “dozens, if not hundreds, of shots fired.”
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) told the Post that he heard two or three shots before he realized what was going on. Then he heard a scream from Scalise, who fell to the ground and dragged himself toward the outfield.
While no motive has been established for the attack, authorities are considering Hodgkinson’s political beliefs as a possible driver, according to the Post. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) said that Hodgkinson had volunteered for his presidential campaign and denounced the shooting.
“I am sickened by this despicable act,” Sanders said Wednesday on the Senate floor.
Hodgkinson, a Belleville, Ill., resident, is the former owner of JHT Construction and JHT Inspections, according to the Belleville News Democrat. He belonged to a number of anti-Republican Facebook groups and had a criminal record that included charges of resisting a peace officer, eluding police, driving under the influence and criminal property damage.
On Google’s review page for JHT Inspections, one recent reviewer claimed that she had hired Hodgkinson to inspect her home and gotten a bad feeling about him during the transaction.
“Something about this guy rubbed ne the wrong way when I was purchasing a home after moving here from Mexico,” the reviewer said. “He made some off-hand comments about politics and I mentioned being a conservative, and he thought I was an idiot for that reason.”
Related stories:
U.S. Congressional panel examines refi loan to San Bernardino shooter
San Bernardino shooter may have funded weapon purchase through P2P loan
