"It would have been a massacre without Capitol Hill Police. Nobody would have survived, 'it was a killing field' because nobody had weapons to shoot back." Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who was present at the shooting scene where five people including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise were shot during baseball practice, said this after the incident.
The gunman opened fire from the third base dugout at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia, as the group practiced batting at 6.30am, Paul said on CNN.
Paul says "it was a killing field" because nobody had weapons to shoot back. Those who were in the dugout were just 20 yards from the shooter. He could have killed them all, had Capitol Hill police not taken him down that moment."
The shooter asked the group if they were Republicans or Democrats before opening fire from the third base dugout as the men practiced batting.
"We had nothing but baseball bats to fight back against a rifle with," Brooks said.
Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake added that he saw a member of Scalise's security detail return fire on the gunman for what felt like 10 minutes, even though the police officer was wounded in the leg.
"50 (shots) would be an understatement, I'm quite sure," Flake said when asked about the total amount of gunfire, including police returning fire.
The group was practicing for a charity match which is due to take place on Thursday at Nationals Park.
It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Washington on June 26 at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. President Trump has condemned the shooting incident.
The shooting took place at 6:30 am in the morning when the Republican Congressional Baseball Team was practicing and the unidentified gunman opened fire around the YMCA on East Monroe Street in Alexandria. Eyewitness says at least 5 injured before shooter was taken down.
The shooting incident took place at a couple of miles from White House. Police has told media that "It was a deliberate attack" as the gunman knew that the Republicans were practicing.
Republican Senator Mo Brooks said there were a number of congressmen and congressional staffers lying on the ground and at least one of them was wounded. The Alabama Republican said he used his belt as a tourniquet to help one of the victims.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, was shot in the hip.
Rep Mo Brooks (R. Alabama) who was at the baseball game where shooting took place, says around 100 shots were fired, he saw Scalise dragging himself after shooting.
Rep. Brooks told, he was on deck at a practice for the congressional baseball team when the shooting occurred.
Scalise, who is a member of the House Republican leadership as the majority whip, appeared to have been shot in the hip and it appeared two Capitol Hill police agents were shot, Brooks added.
Brooks said "Gunman certainly knew who he was targeting- elected officials.
Alexandria police said, they were responding to a "multiple shooting" in the city.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
