LDS Senator Deemed Hero After Scalise Shooting

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Az. was up to bat when a loud shot rang out over the field.

“We were doing batting practice,” Flake told the Associated Press. “All of a sudden we heard a very loud shot. The gunman was over by the third base dugout with a clear view of the field.”

Flake said the gunmen touted “a rifle of some sort… [and] a lot of ammo.”

Without missing a beat, the Brigham Young University graduate sprang into action. Flake rushed to the wounded top House Republican, Steve Scalise of Louisiana. With the help of Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, Flake applied pressure to the gunshot wound, reported ABC.

Flake then dialed up Scalise’s wife so that she could hear the news firsthand. The Arizona Senator also reportedly instructed the other congressional members to hide a 10-year-old boy in a dugout while the gunmen opened fire.

Following the shooting, multiple Utah delegates offered their prayers and condolences.

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The suspected shooter, 66-year-old James Hodgkinson of Illinois, was killed during the shootout. Police recovered an SKS rifle 7.62 (which is a Chinese-made AK variant) and a 9 mm pistol at the scene — traces are still being done on the weapons.

Congressional staffer, Zach Barth and Matt Mika, a lobbyist for Tyson Foods and former staffer, among various members of the Capitol Police and Scalise’s security detail were injured during the shooting.

House majority whip, Steven Scalise, was reportedly shot in the hip and transported to Medstar Washington Hospital Center. The New York Times reported Scalise was in critical condition following multiple surgeries on his left hip, where the bullet struck him.

“Congressman Scalise is a friend, and a very good friend,” said President Trump following the shooting. “He’s a patriot. And he’s a fighter. He will recover from this assault — and Steve, I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation, and frankly the entire world. America is praying for you and America is praying for all of the victims of this terrible shooting.”