Delco's Rep. Meehan Was Supposed To Be At Baseball Practice When Shooting Happened

Horror struck a Congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday morning when five people were shot. Delaware County's Rep. Patrick Meehan was supposed to be there.

"I was not at this morning's Congressional baseball practice and all of our staff members are accounted for," Meehan said on Facebook Wednesday morning.

Meehan also took to Twitter to express his sadness for Wednesday's shooting that injured House Majority Whip Steven Scalise who was shot in the hip.

My thoughts and prayers are with my colleagues, the staffers and the U.S. Capitol Police officers involved in this morning's shooting.
— Patrick Meehan (@RepMeehan) June 14, 2017

Meehan, a Republican, serves Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional district which covers Delaware County, as well portions of Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster counties.

Chester County Rep. Ryan Costello was also supposed to be at the baseball practice.

The shooter who has has been identified as James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois, by multiple media outlets, has died.

Capitol Police officers and members of Scalise's protective detail were also injured in the shooting. Scalise was taken by helicopter from the scene and is out of surgery and is recovering.

Witnesses have estimated at least 50 rounds were fired from what authorities described as an M4 assault weapon and the suspect also carried a handgun as he moved from the outfield to the infield firing.

Congressman took cover in the dugouts as the bullets rained down and Capitol Police exchanged gunfire with the suspect before eventually capturing him.

The Congressional baseball game has been played every year since 1909 between Republicans and Democrats in the House.

For full coverage of the shooting see here.

With reporting from Elizabeth Janney

Pictured, police and emergency personnel are seen near the scene where House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot during a Congressional baseball practice in Alexandria on Wednesday, June 14. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen).