Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), released the following statement after several people were shot this morning in Alexandria, VA at a baseball practice for this week's charity Congressional baseball game:
"My thoughts and prayers are with Congressman Steve Scalise, staff members, and the Capitol police officers injured this morning in a horrific and hateful attack while practicing for our annual charity Congressional baseball game. I thank and commend the Capitol Police officers for their bravery and heroic actions which saved the lives of my colleagues. Republicans and Democrats will play tomorrow's game as scheduled. Although we will be playing against each other on the baseball field, we will stand together to try to stop the hateful rhetoric that can pervade our society and be unified based on our commonality and humanity of our communities and country."
Congressman Panetta is a member of the Democratic baseball team and was at practice this morning at a different facility. The Congressional baseball game is a long-running, bipartisan tradition enjoyed by politicians and citizens alike.