Sanders fan shoots GOP lawmakers

Virginia: A gunman opened fire on Wednesday on Republican US lawmakers practising near Washington for a charity baseball game, wounding senior Republican leader Steve Scalise and several others before being killed in a shootout with police.

The shooter, identified as James T. Hodgkinson, fired repeatedly with a rifle at the baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia

Scalise, No. 3 in the House of Representatives Republican leadership, was shot in the hip.

Also wounded were one current congressional staffer and one former staffer. Two Capitol Hill police officers were hospitalized after the incident but it was not clear if both were wounded by gunfire.

The gunman was a strong supporter of leftist Senator Bernie Sanders.

Mr Sanders swiftly responded to the reports, saying he was “sickened” by what he called a “despicable act.”

“I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball practice is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign,” said a statement.