One year after he was shot during baseball practice, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise made an emotional return at Thursday night's annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at Nationals Park, CNN reported.
Scalise, R-La., started at second base during the Democrats’ 21-5 victory. He was one of five people injured when a gunman opened fire early on June 14, 2017, as Republicans were practicing for the game in Alexandria, Virginia.
Scalise was shot in the hip and suffered fractured bones and injuries to his internal organs. He underwent several surgeries. The gunman, James Thomas Hodgkinson, 66, was injured during a 10-minute shootout with police and later died from his wounds.
Scalise still walks with a limp, but he excelled on the first pitch of the game, fielding a grounder and throwing out Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California, at first base. His teammates mobbed him with cheers, CNN reported.
"Steve is a fighter. He is a man of great courage," Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., told CNN. "I knew Steve would be back, but to see him starting tonight was inspirational.”
The other four shooting victims also appeared at the game and threw out the ceremonial first pitch: Capitol police officers Crystal Griner and David Bailey, lobbyist Matt Mika and congressional aide Zack Barth.
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