Photo by Jon Anderson
Gary Palmer 10-15-15
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, speaks to the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham -- The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala., on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015.
This article was updated on Thursday at 10:15 a.m. with additional comments from Rep. Palmer.
Alabama's 6th District Representative, Gary Palmer, was injured but safe after a shooter attacked a congressional baseball team practice in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday morning.
According to national media outlets, a lone shooter attacked the GOP team, shooting House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and members of the security detail and local police force. At least five people were hospitalized and others had minor injuries on the scene. The suspect, James Hodgkinson, has been reported dead.
Palmer said in a phone interview Thursday morning that he was about 20 yards from Hodgkinson, playing shortstop, when the man began shooting near the third baseline. Palmer injured his leg while seeking cover, but was not injured by the shooter. As they ran toward the only gate to get out of the field, Palmer said he saw Scalise get shot.
As the congressmen took cover, Palmer said security agents on site and capitol police "literally ran to the sound of the gun.” During the firefight that took place, Palmer said he saw one agent get shot and "pull herself back into a position to fire on the gunman. It was incredible courage on their part.”
After the firefight ended, Palmer assisted in finding medical supplies to help tend to Scalise's wounds on the fields. Scalise is currently in critical condition. Palmer spoke highly of the quick reaction from the security forces that day.
“If it hadn’t been for them, I think we’d be talking body count today,” Palmer said.
Since yesterday's attack, Palmer said many legislators from both parties have reached out to him and the other congressmen to show their support.
“All the other members have been wonderful, including the Democrats,” he said, adding that House Speaker Paul Ryan "got it exactly right" when he said an attack on one member of Congress was an attack on them all.
The shooting has led Palmer and several other GOP representatives to state publicly that they support more access to firearms, not stricter firearm control. Palmer said he feels that tighter legislation would not have prevented Hodgkinson from finding a way to get a gun.
“I can tell you I wish I had a gun yesterday. All I had was a baseball glove," Palmer said. “I think there’s a number of congressman who would express the same sentiment.”
The baseball team was practicing for the annual charity Congressional Baseball Game, which Palmer said was planned to honor victims of the recent terror attacks in London. The game will still be played, and Palmer said he plans to be there.
“You can’t let people disrupt our way of life," Palmer said. “This is an opportunity to start bringing the country back together. We’ve got to ratchet down the rhetoric.”
Since Wednesday's attack, Palmer said some of his fellow representatives have received violent threats, and he said leadership in toning down partisan conflict starts with elected leaders in D.C.
“We all have a responsibility to tone down the rhetoric and take the hyper-violent insinuations seriously, otherwise I think our republic is in danger,” Palmer said.
