The 66-year-old man arrested for the shooting of several GOP staffers during a baseball practice early Wednesday morning reportedly volunteered for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) presidential campaign.
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Police arrested James Hodgkinson shortly after the shooting. According to ABC News, Hodgkinson, of Bellevile, Ill., had several run-ins with the law, including domestic violence and several unlawful-weapons-discharge arrests. Hodgkinson died from his injuries after being taken to a hospital Wednesday morning, the Washington Post reports.
“I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball practice is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign,” Sanders said on the Senate floor Wednesday, CNN reports. “I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be: Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Real change can only come about through nonviolent action, and anything else runs against our most deeply held American values.”
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) told the news station that Matt Mika, director of government relations for Tyson Foods, who practices with the team, is in critical condition.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) was injured in the shooting and is reported to be in stable condition. Zack Barth, a legislative correspondent for Texas Rep. Roger Williams, is expected to recover fully; and a congressional staffer, lobbyist and two Capitol Police officers are in stable condition.
Robert Becker, who oversaw Sanders’ campaign in Iowa and other key states, told CNN that no one remembered Hodgkinson during his time as a volunteer.
“Nobody has any recollection of him,” Becker said. “He’s not anybody anyone can remember.”
Becker didn’t dispute Sanders’ claim that Hodgkinson once worked on the campaign, but added that more than 10,000 volunteers turned out to help the Vermont senator’s presidential run.
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