NEW YORK — The NYPD heightened security for city politicians after a gunman wounded a congressman at a GOP baseball practice in Virginia Wednesday morning, officials said.
The city's only Republic representative, Dan Donovan, who represents Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, was in the capital, but not at the baseball practice and reported that he was safe, his staff said.
No other New York City representatives were there the shooter, who reports identified as James T. Hodgkinson of Illinois, opened fire, hitting Rep. Steve Scalise, the majority whip for the House of Representatives, officials said.
In the aftermath of the shooting, NYPD officials tracked down all New York elected officials as they monitored the situation and dispatched resources around the city.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we moved resources to City Hall, to Gracie Mansion, to other prominent locations," said NYPD counter terrorism commissioner John Miller.
"We will have additional resources at some public events that elected officials are attending today. We are going to continue to monitor that incident in Virginia," Miller added.
Donovan, who was in the capital at the time, put out a message of support for his colleagues.
Praying for @SteveScalise, officers and staff after this morning's shooting.
— Dan Donovan (@RepDanDonovan) June 14, 2017
Hodgkinson appeared to be acting alone and died from gunshot wounds he sustained in a shootout with police, according to Virginia authorities and President Donald Trump.
President Trump says suspect in congressional baseball shooting has now died of his injuries. The latest: https://t.co/HtbiGoC8Ym pic.twitter.com/SfTj5tLEmT
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) June 14, 2017
Hodgkinson, who had previously volunteered for Sen. Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign, posted anti-Trump rhetoric on social media, reports said.
Sanders, a Brooklyn native who represents Vermont, denounced the violence on the floor of the senate.
I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be. Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society. pic.twitter.com/ib2reH3ghQ
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 14, 2017
Democratic representatives were holding their own baseball practice at a different field Wednesday morning. Their roster includes New York congressman Joe Crowley and Hakeem Jeffries.
Crowley's staff said he wasn't at Wednesday's Democratic baseball game practice. Jeffries' staff didn't immediately return a request for comment.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries describes how the Democrat's congressional baseball team found out about the Virginia shooting https://t.co/5xBe6rLVEW
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 14, 2017
.@HouseDemocrats praying for our @HouseGOP @SenateGOP baseball colleagues after hearing about the horrific shooting. https://t.co/y2HEUaSuzd pic.twitter.com/6HBrlnxtey
— Rep. Ruben J. Kihuen (@RepKihuen) June 14, 2017
Adriano Espaillat wasn't at the Democratic baseball team practice, but his aide was, according to staff, who didn't provide further details.
Other New York representatives tweeted their bipartisan support for the shooting victims.
We stand with our Republican colleagues. My thoughts and prayers are with those injured in this horrible act. We are all Americans!
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) June 14, 2017
My thoughts & prayers are with @SteveScalise and the congressional staffers shot at charity baseball practice this morning. Horrendous.
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) June 14, 2017
Let us pray for the victims & their families. https://t.co/1cV6zzxQYc
— Yvette D. Clarke (@RepYvetteClarke) June 14, 2017
