The gunman responsible for the GOP congressional baseball practice shooting has died, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
"Authorities are continuing to investigate the crime and the assailant has now died from his injuries."
The shooter is identified as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old man from Illinois. It is not directly clear what his motive was.
Investigators said they found anti-Trump messages on the shooter's Facebook social media page. According to the Associated Press, Bernie Sanders says he is 'sickened by this despicable act' and the shooter apparently volunteered on his campaign.
The shooting at the GOP congressional baseball practice could have been motivated by heightened partisanship, a Republican congressman who survived the attack told CNN.
"This could be the first political rhetorical terrorist attack and that has to stop," Rep. Rodney Davis told CNN's Brianna Keilar.
Rep. Steve Scalise, was among those shot in Alexandria, Virginia. Scalise was later said to be stable and undergoing surgery.
Authorities did not immediately reveal why Hodgkinson opened fire. But Davis attributed the motives of the gunman to heightened partisanship in the current political climate.
"This hatefulness that we see in this country today over policy differences has got to stop," he said.
"I believe that there's such a hatefulness in what we see in American politics and policy discussions right now. This has got to stop."
He added, "We can disagree on how to govern. That's what makes our country great, but I'm here because we're all Americans."
BREAKING: House Speaker Paul Ryan: 'We are united in our anguish. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.'
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 14, 2017
Davis said he and some fellow lawmakers fled the scene after hearing the gunshots.
"We took off down the street and a Good Samaritan let us into his apartment so we could call 911 and then also call my family," he said.
Davis, who was at bat at the time of the shooting, said he hopes Wednesday marks a turning point in how lawmakers engage in the future.
"Republicans and Democrats need to use this day today to stand together and say stop," he said. "Let's work together and get things done. We can have our differences, but let's not let it lead to such hate."
