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The shooter was a blur to me, but I was close enough to see the dirt fly with each barrage of bullets. Thank God for the diameter of a large willow oak just outside the right field batting cage.

The first shot rang out in isolation. We weren't even sure, at first, if it was a shot. But there was no question when the next five to 10 shots followed. Rep. Steve Scalise was shot in that first barrage. Rep. Trent Kelly stared down the muzzle from less than 20 yards, and the shooter missed repeatedly as he careened, zigzagging toward the first base dugout.

From my spot against the oak tree, I watched as Zach Barth and another staffer raced along the warning track from left field toward my location in right field. As they dove into the dirt, face first, the bullets sent puffs of dirt around them.

A 20-foot chain-link fence separated me from them. I felt helpless, with no weapon and no way to reach the wounded. Rep. Scalise lay at second base, but no one could help him.

Large, long series of shots rang out across the field.

The decision for all of us was: Should I stay or should I go? Which was riskier -- to make a run for it and expose yourself as a target or stay still and hope the shooter tired of using you as target practice? The danger in staying was that if the shooter advanced and came to point-blank range, it would be certain death.

As these thoughts went through my head, another barrage of bullets hit the warning track five feet to my right. A staff member jumped up to try to climb the 20-foot fence just as Barth cried out, "I'm hit." Within two to three seconds, the staffer cleared the chain-link fence, like Spider-Man in fast motion.

He and I crouched behind the oak tree. The question returned. Should we stay or should we go? Should we risk the run across the open field over two more chain-link fences, or should we remain behind the tree?

Shouts spread. The shooter was on the move. Though we could only catch glimpses of him, we could see congressmen and staffers shuffling and repositioning themselves behind the concrete bathroom, the cinder block dugout, and various cars.

Should we stay or should we go? We knew that we had two Capitol Police officers there, Rep. Scalise's security detail. Were they already dead? We took about 10 seconds to deliberate, not exactly a pros and con debate but monosyllabic, "Run? Yeah . . ."

To escape, we had to leave the protective shadow of our oak and sprint across an open field. We would become targets again. As we jumped up to run, we heard the report of pistol fire from Capitol Police. The cavalry had arrived.

In the ensuing gunbattle, Special Agents Crystal Griner and David Bailey showed heroism above and beyond the call of duty. Advancing against the shooter, they were seriously outgunned in terms of firepower. The shooter had a long-range semiautomatic rifle, and the police only had handguns. The report of the pistols, though, was louder than the rifle and more explosive in sound.

Without the presence of these brave officers, both of whom were wounded in taking down the shooter, it would have been a massacre. They saved dozens of lives.

Later in the day, in the aftermath of a killing field, as I walk through the basement of the Capitol, a loud cart follows me, banging -- BANG, banging at every bump. BANG, BANG but not really bang. Not really death impending, but death in verisimilitude -- jarring, loud, and uninvited but not shooting or exploding.

Every passerby that didn't smile -- didn't shoot. Didn't shoot. For that I am grateful.

It's unlikely they will shoot again. Be smart, look at the percentages. Of course, unlikely, very unlikely. A random event, nothing more.

Sitting alone near the end of the day, fortunate to savor or perhaps castigate the sun's last rays, I feel the sun on my face. I want to deflect the sun's gaze. I want to rebuke her for providing aid and abetting the sight lines in today's killing field.

Aim, aim what is the aim. The rifle juts through the chain-link fence, spraying hate and blowing bone and muscle to bits in a show of nothing.

In the pause between gunshot and echo, in the seam of what may be, but is not yet, I hear my breathing return to normal.

See the article here:
Rand Paul on being trapped on a killing field: Stay or go? - CNN

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

A quote attributed to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., after he and a dozen Republican colleagues were the target of a shooter who apparently was politically motivated is re-circulating on the Web as an example of the hypocrisy of the right.

The June 2016 tweet cited in the context of the shooting spree by a Bernie Sanders supporter Wednesday morning in which House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was seriously wounded states: Why do we have a Second Amendment? Its not to shoot deer. Its to shoot at the government when it becomes tyrannical!

But Paul never said those words, the senators spokesman told WND on Friday.

Sergio Gor, Pauls communications director, explained that a staffer was live tweeting a speech by Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano, a fact thatwas indicated in earlier tweets.

Unfortunately, some dishonest hacks have chosen to take this completely out of context and perpetuate a fake news cycle, Gor said.

Like the reporting you see here? Sign up for free news alerts from WND.com, Americas independent news network.

The speech by Napolitano one year ago was part of the Young Leaders for Freedom lecture series hosted by Paul.

Republicans are getting what they want

A blogger for the Daily Kos posted the tweet Wednesday, after the shooting, with the comment: I think this tweet will be deemed as not aging well. Vox Media co-founder Markos Moulitsas tweeted Republicans are getting what they want and Democratic operative Jamed Devine, after retweeting the Paul campaign tweet, said the shooter used his Second Amendment remedies.

The fact-check website Snopes addressed the issue, acknowledging in its subhead: A genuine tweet posted by the Kentucky senator was circulated out of context after lawmaker Steve Scalise was shot in Virginia.

Among other places, the attribution to Paul turned up in asyndicated column by Bill Press published by WND, which ran a correction after the error was discovered.

In his column, after citing the tweet, Press writes: One can only hope the good senator had second thoughts about that kind of incendiary rhetoric when he himself was one of those shot at on the Alexandria ballfield.

The line remains in the corrected version of his column.

Press told WND in an email that as with many other journalists, he first saw the tweet yesterday and included mention of it in his column.

As soon as I learned this morning that it supposedly quotes Andrew Napolitano of Fox News, I immediately wrote a correction which was circulated to all of their subscribers by Tribune Content Agency, he said.

Press, however, argued that the tweet was sent by Pauls campaign, under his name, and asked: Why would he tweet out Napolitanos words if he did not agree with them?

If the senator himself disagreed with what some staffer tweeted out, why didnt he denounce it? And why has it remained up on Senator Pauls Twitter account for over a year? he asked.

If anybodys responsible for promulgating fake news, its Senator Paul and his staff, Press told WND.

Gor emphasized that the quote was taken out of context used by opponents of Paul to charge him with incitement and the spokesman said, regarding the right to bear arms, it is well known that Senator Paul is a firm believer and supporter of the Second Amendment.

Judge Andrew Napolitano

While many on the left have insisted or implied that Second Amendment rights are restricted to hunting and possibly personal defense, many conservatives, and libertarians such as Napolitano, have argued the Founders intent was to ensure that the people, as sovereign governors, could defend the republic and itsConstitutionfrom tyrants who violateits protections of their inalienable rights.

In a column for the Washington Times in 2013, Napolitano also made references to hunting and tyrants.

He wrote that the right of the people to keep and bear arms is an extension of the natural right to self-defense and a hallmark of personal sovereignty.

It is specifically insulated from governmental interference by the Constitution and has historically been the linchpin of resistance to tyranny, Napolitano said.

Further, he asserted the historical reality of the Second Amendments protection of the right to keep and bear arms is not that it protects the right to shoot deer.

It protects the right to shoot tyrants, and it protects the right to shoot at them effectively, with the same instruments they would use upon us, Napolitano said. If the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto had had the firepower and ammunition that the Nazis had, some of Poland might have stayed free and more persons would have survived the Holocaust.

Like the reporting you see here? Sign up for free news alerts from WND.com, Americas independent news network.

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Left uses out-of-context quote to accuse Rand Paul of incitement - WND.com

What's better than 420-friendly bipartisanship?

Contrary to what you might think, Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff Sessions" Sessions did not appear one day out of thin air when a melancholy racist wished upon a star for a glimpse of what the world would have looked like had the south won the Civil War. However, he is now our Attorney General, because the Trump Administration has all but changed the country's motto from "In God We Trust" to "LIGHT SHIT ON FIREEEEEEEEEE." Sessions is a proponent of criminal justice policies that are racist, ineffective, and basically penalize black people for being the victims of institutional racism. He also hates marijuana so much that he once joked that he was okay with the KKK until he learned they smoked pot. That's right, Jeff Sessions hates pot more than he hates the idea of blatant racism and terror! And now that he's AG, he's dead set on going getting rid of rules that keep the DOJ from enforcing federal drug laws in the case of states that allow medical marijuana. What a fun guy!

But in a strange twist for 2017, there's actually bipartisan resistance to this stupid plan. According to Rare, Senators Al Franken and Rand Paul, among others from both sides of the aisle, have come together to craft a bill that would guard against Sessions' misguided weed-hating absurdity.

Thankfully, Republican Senators Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Lisa Murkowski are teaming up with Democrats Al Franken, Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand to support a bill that would protect states that allow medical marijuana from any federal interference. This legislation would also remove current obstacles to medical marijuana research.

There is a House version that also has bipartisan support. The lawmakers are expected to introduce this bill on Thursday.

This is actually pretty great to see, and a nice reminder that there is a lot of common ground that these two sides can find from time to time. It's also great, because I live in California and have a prescription for weed thanks to chronic migraines and now when I smoke I can enjoy it twice as much. First, the normal amount because weed is amazing. And then double that, because I'll know that I'm making Jeff Sessions mad, and that makes me happy.

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ONE

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Al Franken and Rand Paul Join Forces to Protect Medical Marijuana from Jeff Sessions - GQ Magazine

by: Alex Thomas, Rare.us Updated: Jun 14, 2017 - 9:29 AM

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and members of his staff wereamong the victims of a shooting early Wednesday during GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who was also present at the practice, recounted the events to Morning Joe. Paul said he was in the batting cage. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., heads to the Senate floor for a vote on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call

"I grew up in the South, and I just thought someone had discharged a shotgun, which isnt that unusual in the South, but then I thought, We are in the city; were not in the country here.'

He said he saw Scalise shot but moving, trying to drag himself out of the dirt into the outfield.

Paul said he wasnt sure where the shots were coming from. He said he heard 50 to 60 shots before the Capitol Hill police responded.

>> Click here to watch

Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., also at the practice and told CNN that he was on deck, about to hit batting practice when the shots rang out.

I look around, and I see a rifle and I see a little bit of a body," he said. "Then I hear another blam, and I realize theres an active shooter.

>> Read more trending news

Brooks ran to the dugout, where a number of people were laying on the ground. The congressman then used his belt as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from a staffers leg. Brooks heard another shot and looked up to see one of the members of their security detail firing back at the shooter with a pistol.

>> Watch the interview here

2017 Cox Media Group.

See original here:
WATCH: Rand Paul, Mo Brooks recall chilling details of shooting at GOP baseball practice - WFTV Orlando

GUNMAN OPENS FIRE AT GOP BASEBALL PRACTICECongressional baseball game: What to expect | 0:42

Lawmakers will continue their congressional baseball game tradition despite the shooting that wounded 5 people, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, during the Republican team's practice. Security will be especially tight. USA TODAY

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House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) was shot among several people shot during practice for a charity baseball game. USA TODAY

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Multiple shots reportedly fired by gunman at GOP congressional baseball practice. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was among several people shot. USA TODAY

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Police have named the man they believe to be behind the D.C. area suburb shooting, and it turns out he was an ardent Bernie Sanders supporter. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@fantasticmrnate) explains. Buzz60

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Former Alexandria, Virginia Mayor Bill Euille says he met James T. Hodgkinson, the man who opened fire on Republican Congress members. Euille says he found Hodgkinson to be rational, calm and polite. (June 15) AP

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Hours after the attack in Virginia, a picture began to emerge of an attacker with a mostly minor arrest record who worked as a home inspector and despised the Republican Party. But friend says shooter didn't seem prone to violence. (June 14) AP

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The St. Clair County, Illinois Sheriff says deputies warned James T. Hodgkinson in March that it was dangerous to fire a gun near homes. Hodgkinson has been identified as the man who shot at Republican Congress members on a baseball field. (June 15) AP

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Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Mo Brooks detail the heroic efforts of U.S. Capitol Police during the shooting at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. USA TODAY

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The Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate took to the floor to express sadness over the shooting at a congressional baseball practice that left House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and a number of others injured. (June 14) AP

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Gov. John Bel Edwards, House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego and lawmakers gathers in the Louisiana Capitol's Memorial Hall Wednesday to pray for the recovery of Congressman Steve Scalise, R-New Orleans, and other victims. Greg Hilburn/USA Today Network

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Leaders in the House of Representatives from both parties joined together in words to heal and unite their members after the shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. (June 14) AP

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In the wake of the shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise in Virginia Wednesday, police are beefing up security around Capitol Hill. Veuer's Nick Cardona (@nickcardona93) has that story. Buzz60

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Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan says he suspects he spoke with the man who minutes later opened fire on the congressional baseball practice. (June 14) AP

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Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) recounts the shooting in which House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and a number of others were wounded by a gunman in Alexandria, VA. USA TODAY

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Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday, said the Alexandria shooter was someone who "apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign." (June 14) AP

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Authorities identified James T. Hodgkinson as the man who shot Rep. Steve Scalise and several others during a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. USA TODAY

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Bernie Sanders condemned the actions of the gunman who opened fire at a congressional baseball practice. USA TODAY

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Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) recounts the shooting in which House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and a number of others were wounded by a gunman in Alexandria, VA. USA TODAY

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One Republican congressman is linking the shooting of Representative Steve Scalise to the political rhetoric of Democrats. Veuer's Nick Cardona (@nickcardona93) has that story. Buzz60

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President Trump shared kind words about House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who is in stable condition after being shot during a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. USA TODAY

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President Donald Trump describing a "brutal, brutal" assault in the shooting of a top House Republican Wednesday, said, "many lives would have been lost if not for the actions of the two Capitol Police officers." (June 14) AP

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer thanked the U.S. Capitol Police officers who jumped into action during a shooting at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. USA TODAY

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Authorities describe the quick response to a gunman opening fire during a congressional baseball practice. USA TODAY

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An eyewitness says the suspected gunman who Rep. Steve Scalise and several others used an assault rifle, such as an AK-47, to open fire on the baseball field Wednesday morning. (June 14) AP

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Was the tragic D.C. shooting politically motivated? One lawmaker at the scene seems to think so. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@fantasticmrnate) reports. Buzz60

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A gunman opened fire on a group of Republican lawmakers who were at a baseball practice field in Alexandria, Virginia early Wednesday. Josh King has the story (@abridgetoland). Buzz60

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A top House Republican, Louisiana's Steve Scalise was among several people shot by a rifle-wielding gunman at a congressional baseball practice just outside of Washington. Amateur video shows one person being wheeled away from the scene. (June 14) AP

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Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown called the scene where Congressman Steve Scalise was shot "stable" and said there was not addtional threat. AP

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House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot Wednesday at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Va., congressional officials say. (June 14) AP

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Residents in the Virginia Alexandria neighborhood that was the scene of the shooting recounted to reporters the massive police presence in its aftermath. (June 14) AP

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Congressional baseball game: What to expect

Who is Rep. Steve Scalise?

Gunman opens fire during congressional baseball practice

Here's what we know about alleged Va. shooter James Hodgkinson

Former Alexandria mayor describes meeting gunman

Illinois friend: Shooter didn't seem prone to violence

Neighbor called sheriff about James Hodgkinson

Rand Paul: Alexandria shooting could've been 'a massacre'

Senate leaders: 'We're deeply saddened'

La. Capitol unites in prayer for Congressman Scalise

Ryan calls shooting 'an attack on all of us'

Police beef up security around the Capitol in wake of Va. shooting

Rep. Duncan says he thinks he spoke to shooter

Rep. Mo Brooks said they were 'helpless' in baseball shooting

Sanders: 'I am sickened by this despicable act'

James T. Hodgkinson: What we know

Shooter allegedly worked on Bernie Sanders' campaign

Rep. Mo Brooks: "You have a baseball bat, they have a rifle, you are defenseless."

GOP Rep: Links the shooting of Rep. Scalise to rhetoric from Democrats

Trump: Steve Scalise is a patriot, fighter

Trump: Shooting was a 'brutal assault'

McConnell, Schumer praise Capitol Police for bravery

Capitol Police update Alexandria shooting

Shooting eyewitness: Man with AK-47 opened fire

GOP Rep says before shooting, man asked about political party of group

President Trump responds to shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise and others

Amateur video captures Steve Scalise shooting aftermath

Police: Virginia shooting scene 'stable'

Steve Scalise, officers shot at congressional baseball practice

Virginia residents recount shooting aftermath

Senator Rand Paul chats upon arrival with those assembled at the St. Matthews Community Center on Monday morning. 3/20/17 (Photo: Marty Pearl/Special to The C-J)Buy Photo

Saying that a "massacre" had been prevented, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, praised Capitol Police after a gunman opened fire ascongressmen and aides were practicing for an upcoming congressional baseball game in Alexandria, Virginia.

"I was there and am shaken but unharmed," Paul said in a statement. "Many people likely would have died this morning if not for the bravery of Capitol Police. My thanks to them are inadequate but heartfelt."

Paul told MSNBC's Morning Joe that he was in the batting cage when the incident occurred and was not injured.

Police say the suspect, James Hodgkinson, 66,raged against President Trump and once singled out House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was wounded in the attack.

Scalise, R-La.was shot in the hip and listed in critical condition at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Federal authorities said it was too early to determine whether the assault targeted members of Congress. But Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., raised the ominous prospect that the incident may have been politically motivated, saying that a man who appeared to match Hodgkinson's description approached him and others in the parking lot of the Alexandria, Va., baseball field to ask whether the practice involved Republicans or Democrats.

In a March 22 Facebook post, Hodgkinson, who turned his ire against Trump, who he described as a "traitor.''

"Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy,'' he said. "It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co."

Excerpt from:
Sen. Rand Paul: Capitol Police prevented a 'massacre' after shooting at Virginia baseball field - The Courier-Journal