On the morning of June 14, 2017, a group of Republican lawmakers gathered at Eugene Simpson Park in Alexandria, Virginia, to rehearse for the annual Congressional Baseball Game.
The practice, which drew dozens of participants, was interrupted when a lone gunman approached the field and inquired whether the players were Republicans or Democrats before opening fire.
He unleashed more than 60 rounds of ammunition, striking four individuals, among them House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who suffered a gunshot wound to the hip.
A Brief but Intense Confrontation
Capitol Police and Alexandria officers quickly surrounded the shooter, engaging him in a roughly ten‑minute exchange of gunfire that ended with the suspect being shot.
Emergency responders transported the wounded, including Scalise, to a nearby hospital where he received treatment for non‑life‑threatening injuries.
The suspect, identified as James Thomas Hodgkinson, was pronounced dead later that evening after succumbing to his injuries.
Despite the chaos, organizers decided not to cancel the event; the baseball game proceeded as scheduled the following day, drawing attention to the resilience of the tradition.