
A top US Republican was among five people wounded in a “multiple shooting” during baseball practice in an upmarket Washington DC suburb.
House of Representatives Majority Whip Steve Scalise was hit but expected to survive after the early morning attack at a park in Alexandria, Virginia.
Two police officers suffered non-life threatening bullet wounds as they fired back at the attacker.
Police said the gunman was among five people taken to hospital.
Alexandria police tweeted: “Suspect is in custody and not a threat.”
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The lawmakers were practising for the annual congressional ballgame scheduled to be played on Thursday at Nationals Park, home of Major League Baseball team the Washington Nationals.
Alexandria police said the FBI was taking over the investigation into the shooting, which began shortly after 07:00 (11:00 GMT) on Wednesday morning at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park.
‘Killing field’
President Donald Trump said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol Police, first responders, and all others affected.”
White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted that the president was being updated on the attack.
Who is Steve Scalise?
- House Majority Whip, the number three Republican in Congress, responsible for vote gathering
- Elected to Congress in 2008 having previously served in the Louisiana state legislature
- He apologised for speaking to a white supremacist group during a campaign event in 2002
- Former leader of the ultraconservative Republican Study Group, which clashed frequently with party leadership
- He married his wife Jennifer in 2005 and they have two young children. They live in Jefferson, Louisiana
Mr Scalise was shot in the hip was said to be in a stable condition and “good spirits” as he was taken for surgery.
Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, said someone had used a belt as a tourniquet on Mr Scalise.
Texas congressman Roger Williams’ office said he himself was not shot, though one of his staff was wounded in the attack.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul told Fox News: “I do believe without the Capitol Hill police it would have been a massacre.
“We had no defence at all. The field was basically a killing field.”
He said they were lucky that Mr Scalise was present because he has a security detail owing to his congressional seniority.
Mo Brooks, an Alabama Republican, told CNN he was on third base during the baseball game when he saw Mr Scalise, who was on second base, shot.