ALEXANDRIA, VA – Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona said Rep. Steve Scalise lay in the outfield grass for at least 10 minutes after being shot.
Flake spoke to reporters from the scene as police with drawn weapons were still evacuating victims behind him.
Flake, who was among the group of Congressional Republicans and staffers who were practicing for an annual charity baseball game, said everyone scattered when a single gunman opened fire.
The gunman took up a position by the third base dugout before opening fire, Flake said, and appeared to be very well armed.
“Fifty [gunshots] would be an understatement, I’m quite sure,” Flake said.
Scalise, who was playing second base, was shot in the hip area and was not able to make it off of the field.
Flake said Scalise crawled into the outfield after being shot.
“We could see Steve Scalise out in the field,” Flake said. “He dragged himself, after he was shot, from near second base about 10 or 15 yards into the field, just to be, I think, a little further away from the gunman. He was laying motionless out there. ”
Scalise remained in the outfield for an estimated 10 to 15 minutes before Capital Police and other law enforcement officials were able to subdue the gunman, Flake said.
“It was at least 10 minutes,” Flake said. “We were applying pressure to one of the staffers who was shot in the leg. We got a belt out and put that on.”
As soon as he could, Flake said he ran over to Scalise and began administering aid.
“Finally, when we heard that the shooter was down, I just ran low out to Steve, and started putting pressure on the wound,” Flake said. “And then we, for about 10 or 15 minutes, did that until the medics arrived.”
Flake said he also used Scalise’s cell phone to call Scalise’s wife.