Virginias toimus tulistamine, tabamuse sai ka vabariiklasest juhtivpoliitik
Virginia osariigis leidis kolmapäeval aset tulistamine, mille käigus tulistas üks mees pesapallitrennis viibinud USA poliitikuid. Juhtunu käigus sai vigastada kuus inimest, nende seas ka juhtiv vabariiklasest poliitik Steve Scalise, ning ründaja ise, kes suri hiljem saadud vigastustesse.
Tulistamine puhkes Virginia osariigis Alexandrias umbes kell 6.30 (Eesti aeg kell 13.30), kui umbes 25 senaatorit ja esindajatekoja saadikut harjutasid iga-aastaseks kongresmenide pesapallimatšiks, ütles senaator Jeff Flake. Ründaja ja seadusandjate turvameeste tulevahetuses kõlas umbes 50 lasku, lisas ta.
Tulevahetuses sai haavata kokku kuus inimest - esindajatekoja vabariiklasest saadik Steve Scalise, esindajatekoja saadiku Roger Williamsi nõunik Zachary Barth, lobist ja kongressi endine töötaja Mike Mika, kaks Kapitooliumi politseinikku ja ründaja.
Politsei esialgse teate kohaselt peeti kahtlusalune kinni, pealtnägijate sõnul oli tulistajaks keskealine valgenahaline mees. President Donald Trump teatas hiljem, et vabariiklastest seadusandjate pihta tule avanud James T. Hodgkinson suri tulevahetuses korrakaitsjatega saadud haavadesse.
"Paljud elud oleksid kaotatud, kui poleks olnud kangelaslikult tegutsenud kahte Kapitooliumi politseinikku, kes võtsid tulistaja rajalt maha, hoolimata pihta saamisest väga jõhkras rünnakus," ütles Trump.
Kahe seisund kriitiline
Scalise'i (51) tulistati puusa, ütles vabariiklasest saadik Mo Brooks. Washingtoni ülikooli haiglas viibiva Scalise'i seisund on stabiilne ja ta taastub esindajatekoja spiikri sõnul täielikult, ent kahe haavatasaanu seisund on kriitiline.
Scalise'i vigastust ei peeta eluohtlikuks, ütles esindajatekoja spiikri Paul Ryani kantselei, mille andmeil sai kuuliga pihta ka üks turvamees. President Donald Trumpi sõnul sai Scalise raskelt viga, kuid taastub täielikult. Riigipea mõistis tulistamise hukka.
Teises pesas seisnud Scalise roomas pärast pihtasaamist ründajast eemale, lausus Brooks. "Hakkasime talle vedelikke manustama, survestasin tema puusahaava," ütles ta.
Scalise on esindajatekoja vabariiklaste hierarhias kolmandal kohal. Ta valiti esmakordselt kongressi 2008. aastal ning on üks seadusandjatest, kes juhivad püüdlusi muuta nüüdseks endise presidendi Barack Obama tervishoiuseadust.
Vabariiklasest senaator Rand Paul rääkis teleintervjuus, et nägi, kuidas haavata saanud Scalise tulistamise eest eemale roomas. Paul märkis ka seda, et kui politseid ja turvameeskonda poleks sündmuskohal niivõrd palju kohal olnud, oleks tegu olnud tõelise veresaunaga.
APD Chief Michael Brown updated media. 5 transported to local hospitals, including suspect. We will not ID victims or suspect right now. pic.twitter.com/pPYlqEjACM
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) June 14, 2017
Rand Paul says on MSNBC he was in the batting cage and saw Scalise shot but moving, dragging himself through the dirt into the outfield
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 14, 2017
At least one Congressional aide & 2 capitol police officers have also been shot in Alexandria. Rep. Steve Scalise in stable condition. https://t.co/h9u1LITGKX
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) June 14, 2017
Brooks says Scalise was "dragging his body from 2nd base to the outfield to get away from the shooting"...describes a 10-15ft blood trail
— Dianne Gallagher (@DianneG) June 14, 2017
Scalise shot in the hip. Expected to survive. Shooting began around 7:15. Gunman w/ rifle. Went on for ten minutes. Suspect shot by USCP
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) June 14, 2017
US congressman Steve Scalise 'shot at Virginia baseball practice' https://t.co/mcL0ZpTavc
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 14, 2017
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise has been shot & medevaced; shooting took place at practice for a bipartisan Congressional baseball game pic.twitter.com/2XYGIGnqJB
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 14, 2017
If they Capitol Police weren't there, “it would have been a massacre,” Rand Paul says https://t.co/8WQYhMpXcF
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 14, 2017
Rep. DeSantis who at baseball practice recalls: “A guy...walked up to us that was asking whether it was Republicans or Democrats out there.” pic.twitter.com/GwozCPRdve
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 14, 2017
Breaking News Update: Alexandria, Va. police say the suspect is in custody and not a threat. https://t.co/IWK3lMJ8r5 pic.twitter.com/Qpgdv2soZd
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 14, 2017
Breaking: Senator Rand Paul describes shooting scene https://t.co/wMTL3i1OPG
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 14, 2017
Suspected shooter in custody: https://t.co/OmMR8dAwkJ
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 14, 2017
Trump statement on shooting pic.twitter.com/2D7Uq9HNUo
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 14, 2017
President Trump statement says his prayers are with shooting victims and responders at baseball practice shooting https://t.co/IOlZu1o3r9 pic.twitter.com/wxh6eVBpRF
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) June 14, 2017
Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a true friend and patriot, was badly injured but will fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2017
Shooting at GOP baseball practice appears to be a "deliberate attack," sources say. Watch live https://t.co/ltOn6zeTH5 pic.twitter.com/zEkC9BPSql
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) June 14, 2017
Rand Paul says they've been playing three years at the field. "People talk to us, no one'e even said as much as a cross word to us"
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 14, 2017
Sen. Flake believes one of Rep. Scalise’s security detail “brought the shooter down...he ran around for quite a while with a leg wound.” pic.twitter.com/Y11Ew53MSI
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 14, 2017
After it was all finished, @JeffFlake said he pulled out Steve Scalises phone and called his wife so she didn't wake up to this on the news.
— Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) June 14, 2017
Photos: The scene after a gunman opened fire on a Alexandria park https://t.co/sXuVhOk2Wk
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 14, 2017
Security around the White House has been stepped up in response to shooting in Alexandria, Va. https://t.co/TMJLmj8HPc pic.twitter.com/RCLRqoLw83
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 14, 2017
Republican Congressman Joe Barton, leaving the site of the incident, says Capitol Hill security saved their lives pic.twitter.com/G3jqkgb8CX
— Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) June 14, 2017
Rep. Brad Wenstrup: "i felt like I was back in Iraq but without my weapon."
— Susan Ferrechio (@susanferrechio) June 14, 2017
Rep. Brooks says on @CNN the members were fortunate to have Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a doctor, at the practice
— Leigh Munsil (@leighmunsil) June 14, 2017
Here is the location of today's shooting just outside D.C. pic.twitter.com/Im9rE3D7kF
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 14, 2017
Toimetaja: Merilin Pärli
Allikas: ERR/BNS
