Top Republican shot at by a ‘middle-aged white man’, five injured

At least five people, including the Republican Party whip in the House of Representatives Steve Scalise, were injured when a lone gunman opened fire at a park in the state of Virginia on Wednesday.

According to reports quoting a witness, the shooter fired close to 50 shots and was a “middle-aged White man” with a rifle. The shooter was taken into custody following the incident.

Alexandria Police, under whose jurisdiction the shooting happened, however refused to identify the suspect pending investigation. Police Chief Michael Brown said that the injured, including the suspect, had been taken to a local hospital.

It is not clear at this stage if the injuries sustained by Scalise, a lawmaker from Louisiana, are life threatening.

US President Donald Trump, who is celebrating his 71st birthday on Wednesday, expressed hope that Scalise would “fully recover.”