A congressional hearing to debate gun control legislation was canceled this Wednesday morning after news broke of the shooting that took place at a Republican congressional baseball practice.
According to CNN, the hearing was to focus on the “Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act,” which would make it easier to purchase silencers, transport guns across state lines and ease restrictions on armor-piercing bullets. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), who was at the baseball practice where Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) was shot along with four others.
According to reports, James T. Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Illinois, opened fire on a congressional baseball practice outside of Washington, D.C. Later in the day, President Trump announced that Hodkinson died from his injuries at the hospital.
Police say Hodkinson had a history of violence that did not disqualify him from legally owning a firearm.
From The Daily Beast:
In 2006, he was arrested for domestic battery and discharge of a firearm after he punched a woman “in the face with a closed fist,” according to a police report reviewed by The Daily Beast. When the woman’s boyfriend walked outside of the residence, Hodgkinson allegedly aimed a shotgun at him and later fired one round.
Hodgkinson was also “observed throwing” an unnamed minor “around the bedroom,” the police report said. Police identified the girl as his daughter. After the girl broke free, Hodgkinson followed and “started hitting her arms, pulling her hair, and started grabbing her off the bed.”
When a woman tried escaping with Hodgkinson’s daughter in a vehicle, Hodgkinson reached inside and “turned off the ignition,” the report said. “James then pulled out a possible pocket knife and cut [her] seatbelt.”
The charges were dismissed, according to court records.
Featured image via screen shot (CNN)
