# Multiple gunshots in Alexandria Virginia at the Congressional Baseball Practice. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 14, 2017, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930 "2017-06-14T12:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/101 "2017-06-14T17:28:31Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Bernie issues a statement: > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/danmericaCNN/status/875021847020146691/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > “I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball pracice is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign. I am sickened by this despicable act…” Anyone want to venture a guess on how Sean Hannity is going to spin this? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/102 "2017-06-14T17:32:25Z")
Hannity: “Liberal fake news stirs up hatred.” As a fellow white guy, I feel compelled to state that this guy is not representative of my race or gender and his actions should not be used as an excuse to bash my community… oh, wait. We don’t have to do this. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/103 "2017-06-14T17:38:24Z")
From now on, any gathering of congressmen or senators should require a small security detail… Even a backyard barbecue with a handful of congressmen should have a Capital police officer there for security. Congress got lucky this morning that the Whip was there with his protection detail. We can’t provide security round the clock for every member of Congress. We can protect small groups of them. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/104 "2017-06-14T17:40:55Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Here’s the full statement; I think it deserves to be read:](http://www.politicususa.com/2017/06/14/bernie-sanders-offers-perfect-statement-baseball-shooter-campaign-volunteer.html) As someone said elsewhere, this is how you do it when something like this happens. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/105 "2017-06-14T17:43:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Several witnesses say they didn’t recognize the shots as gunfire, basic description as a popping sound. > I am puzzled. > There’s a Sheriff’s Dept. firing range about 3/4 mile from our house. Even at that distance, the gunfire is not a popping sound. It’s loud and clearly gunfire. The sound of gunfire is highly variable depending on conditions - Distance, intervening structures, woodlands, open spaces, water, etc. Also, many people have been ‘trained’ to expect gunfire to sound like Hollywood gunfire, as opposed to what it really sounds like. _You_ recognize it, but many wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/106 "2017-06-14T17:43:38Z")
[Virginia Shooting Suspect Was Distraught Over Trump’s Election, Brother Says](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/us/politics/virginia-shooting-suspect-james-hodgkinson.html?_r=0) (behind paywall) \*The man suspected of opening fire on Republican members of the congressional baseball team early Wednesday morning was distraught over the election of President Trump and traveled to Washington in recent weeks to protest, his brother said on Wednesday. … “I know he wasn’t happy with the way things were going, the election results and stuff,” his brother, Michael Hodgkinson, said in a telephone interview shortly after he received the news on Wednesday. He added that he was not close to his brother and had not been aware why he remained in Washington. “Totally out of the blue,” he added, saying that his brother was engaged in politics but otherwise led a normal life.\* ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/107 "2017-06-14T17:44:22Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Anyone want to venture a guess on how Sean Hannity is going to spin this? “Like a top”…? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/108 "2017-06-14T17:46:34Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Anyone want to venture a guess on how Sean Hannity is going to spin this? > [@Tranquilis](#): > > “Like a top”…? [Like a _record_.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGNiXGX2nLU) ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/109 "2017-06-14T17:48:47Z")
As for the alleged shooter being a Bernie supporter, based upon my personal interactions with Bernie supporters, I’m not particularly surprised; there’s a LOT of angst and rage built up in that community. Though to be honest, I’d have been unsurprised if it had been aimed at Democrats, instead. The angst and fury I’ve seen was pretty much equally divided between TRump and Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/110 "2017-06-14T17:50:26Z")
No need to wonder how Governor Terry McAuliffe will spin it because [he already has](https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/06/14/mcauliffe_calls_for_gun_control_after_republican_shooting_we_lose_93_million_people_a_day.html): > [@](#): > > We lose 93 million Americans a day to gun violence :eek::eek::eek: ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/111 "2017-06-14T17:57:31Z")
Very, very thankful there were no other fatalities, and that (at least from what I’m hearing) the injured should be okay. Also grateful to the quick-acting teammates on hand and of course the police. I despise the Republicans’ agenda, and feel nothing but contempt for Trump. But an attack like this is utterly unwarranted and serves no good purpose–and will, I hope, be decried by everyone as a heinous, wanton act. I’m curious to hear about the shooter’s mental health history, if he has one. He had to be insane to think he was doing his ‘cause’ or ‘side’ or whatever any good through such violence. There are some who believe in promulgating fear and applauding violent means as a way of proving their point. Bernie Sanders sure as fuck isn’t one of them. (As an aside, a friend of mine lives in Belleville IL, and what she’s told me has always made the town seem like the one in Shirley Jackson’s _The Lottery_. It appears to be just a… really weird, insular community with religious families who can be really sweet but find themselves consumed by infighting and secretive bitchiness. Also a surprising number of RSOs.) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/112 "2017-06-14T18:00:16Z")
…the hell? Does Terry define “gun violence” as “all-out nuclear attack” … then again that would last only ONE day. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/113 "2017-06-14T18:01:44Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > No need to wonder how Governor Terry McAuliffe will spin it because [he already has](https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/06/14/mcauliffe_calls_for_gun_control_after_republican_shooting_we_lose_93_million_people_a_day.html): > > :eek::eek::eek: I like my governor but that is some impressively bad math. Was he trying to say 93 people a day? I’m not sure what the correct number is. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/114 "2017-06-14T18:03:05Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I like my governor but that is some impressively bad math. Was he trying to say 93 people a day? I’m not sure what the correct number is. Yes. He said “million” three times, but finally when a reporter pointed it out to him he corrected it and said “93 individuals per day”. ETA: as far as the numbers go, they appear to come from [here](https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/#DailyDeaths), which is purportedly an average of CDC #'s from 2011-2015. The averages for those years are: 21,037 suicides 11,564 homicides 544 unintentional 468 legal interventions (like today, at the ball park in VA) 267 undetermined intent ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/115 "2017-06-14T18:09:26Z")
that works out to an average of 33,880 per year, or 92.8 per day ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/116 "2017-06-14T18:10:30Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > That article also sources that information from the President’s news conference. This fails the criteria of some of the folks up-thread (including who you’re responding to) that apparently wouldn’t believe Donald Trump if he reported that the Pope is Catholic and the sun rises on the eastern horizon. [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/06/who-is-james-t-hodgkinson/530295/) evidently doesn’t believe him, either, as they use “who is James T. Hodgkinson?” rather than “who was”. They also note that the head twit didn’t use the guy’s name. Given his track record, it’s likely he was thinking of someone else. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/117 "2017-06-14T18:10:38Z")
So he took every possible death related to guns, and then multiplied by one million. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/118 "2017-06-14T18:12:57Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > So he took every possible death related to guns, and then multiplied by one million. Yes, but, in his defense (and I’m not one who is apt to defend Gov. McAuliffe on much), he was trying to recite a talking point that he flubbed (repeatedly), but when it was pointed out to him he corrected it. It’s just a bit of a comical gaffe on a day dominated by bad news. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/119 "2017-06-14T18:16:02Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Yes, but, in his defense (and I’m not one who is apt to defend Gov. McAuliffe on much), he was trying to recite a talking point that he flubbed, and when it was pointed out to him he corrected it. It’s just a bit of a comical gaffe on a day dominated by bad news. I hate this fudgy “gun violence” crap. There are ~30 people a day murdered with guns - but no, these people don’t think that’s bad enough. They have to lump in accidents, suicides etc. to inflate it as much as possible. Why? Does “93” make a better argument than “30”? How? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930/120 "2017-06-14T18:17:01Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I hate this fudgy “gun violence” crap. There are ~30 people a day murdered by guns - but no, these people don’t think that’s bad enough. They have to lump in accidents, suicides etc. to inflate it as much as possible. Why? Does “93” make a better argument than “30”? How? Me too, which is why I posted the breakdown in post #114. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multiple-gunshots-in-alexandria-virginia-at-the-congressional-baseball-practice/788930.md?page=7)