Rep. Brad Wenstrup on baseball practice shooting: 'It felt like I was back in Iraq, but without my weapon'

At least five people were wounded when a gunman opened fire at Republican lawmakers' baseball practice Wednesday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, including Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (La.). The members were practicing for the upcoming annual congressional baseball game.

Ohio Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a former combat surgeon in Iraq, was at the practice and described the scene to Fox News. "I felt like I was back in Iraq, but without my weapon," Wenstrup said. Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks said other members "deferred to [Wenstrup's] judgment on what to do" and described Wenstrup as using "some kind of scissors device" to cut through Scalise's pants to treat his wound. "We were very lucky" Wenstrup was there, Brooks said.

Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) said he was the first member to reach Scalise where he'd fallen in the outfield, and that he and Wenstrup together "applied pressure" to Scalise's wound. Flake said Scalise "seemed coherent the whole time." Scalise was shot in the hip and is reportedly undergoing surgery for the wound.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Read The Week's full coverage of the shooting here.