Steve Scalise Update: Congressman’s Condition Upgraded To ‘Fair’ One Week After Baseball Shooting

According to the Los Angeles Times, Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise appears to be on the road to recovery just one week after being badly injured in a shooting at an Alexandria, Virginia baseball field where he and other Republican congressmen were practicing for an annual charity baseball game against the Democrats.

Scalise Critically Injured After Being Shot In Hip At Congressional Baseball Practice

The Los Angeles Times reports that the 51-year-old congressman, who is the House majority whip, was critically injured after a bullet struck him in the hip, shattering bones, blood vessels, and internal organs. He has received several surgeries since he arrived at the hospital, when doctors said he was at immediate risk of death. After Scalise was shot, he dragged himself to the dugout for safety, where he waited for help to arrive.

Scalise was initially treated by Ohio Congressman Brad Wenstrup, who was a combat surgeon in the U.S. Army, reports Cincinnati. Wenstrup tried to stop Scalise’s bleeding and made sure he was conscious by asking him to count. According to a MedStar Washington Hospital Center press briefing by Dr. Jack Sava, the hospital’s director of trauma, Scalise was awake initially but was in shock by the time he arrived at the hospital, due to severe bleeding.

According to the Inquisitr, Scalise was injured after the gunman, 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson, fired approximately 50 shots at the Republicans, before being shot himself by police. Senator Ron Paul, who was present at the baseball game but was unharmed by the shooting, remarked on the necessity of Capitol Police, which were a part of Scalise’s entourage,

“I don’t think anyone would have survived without the Capitol Police…Nobody else had a weapon…It would have been a massacre without them.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Representative Scalise is one of only nine lawmakers who travel with security forces.

Scalise On The Road To Recovery Just One Week Later

On Saturday, MedStar Washington Hospital Center stated that Scalise had undergone a surgery that day and was responsive and speaking with loved ones. The news got even better on Wednesday when the center stated that Scalise is “beginning an extended period of healing and rehabilitation.”

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

Congressman Scalise has been upgraded to fair condition, which is a huge improvement from the critical condition that he was in when he entered the hospital just one week ago.

[Featured Image by Andrew Harnik/AP Images]