Wednesday 21 June 2017

FBI provides more details on congressional baseball shooting, says the shooter had no connection to terrorism

James Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois. James Hodgkinson/via REUTERS

The FBI on Wednesday released more details on its investigation into the recent shooting at a GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, saying 66-year-old James Hodgkinson acted alone and the attack did not have a "nexus to terrorism."

The shooting last Wednesday injured five, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who is still hospitalized in serious condition.

Police shot Hodgkinson at the scene, and he later died of his injuries.

Hodgkinson had been living in his car near the Alexandria area since March, and had told a family member he was traveling to Washington, DC, the FBI said. Shortly before he left his home in Belleville, Illinois, local police had responded to several complaints about target practice Hodgkinson had been conducting at his home, although they determined he had been breaking no laws.

Hodgkinson carried out the Alexandria attack using a SKS 7.62mm-caliber rifle and 9mm handgun he had purchased legally, according to the FBI.

After the attack, investigators found a piece of paper on his body that listed the names of six members of Congress, but no other context, the FBI said. They did not specify which six lawmakers were named.

Investigators also found that Hodgkinson had visited his unit at a storage facility more than 43 times between April and June. The unit contained a laptop, more than 200 rounds of ammunition, the receipt for his 2016 rifle purchase, and other rifle components.

The FBI also analyzed Hodgkinson's devices and social media accounts, and said that although his posts included numerous "anti-Republican" sentiments, they appear so far to be First Amendment-protected speech. He had also Google searched a map from Alexandria to his Belleville home, as well as the term "2017 Republican Convention," the night before the shooting.

The FBI also confirmed an account given to media by Rep. Ron DeSantis, who said Hodgkinson had approached him just minutes before the shooting and asked whether the baseball players on the field were Republicans or Democrats.

SEE ALSO: The suspect in the congressional baseball practice shooting was a fierce Trump opponent who called him a 'traitor'

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