Bernie Sanders condemns shooting by gunman who volunteered for his presidential campaign

A man who posted angry messages against President Donald Trump and other Republicans on social media has opened fire on Republican lawmakers who were practising for a charity baseball game, wounding a senior US House member and three other people.

Neighbors say Hodgkinson was a quiet man. Bill Schaumleffel and his wife lived just across a field from Hodgkinson for the last 15 years but never truly knew him. "I know I speak for the entire country in saying that my hopes and prayers are that Rep. Scalise, congressional staff and the Capitol Police officers who were wounded make a quick and full recovery".

Hodgkinson is believed by investigators to have been a person "of strong views", a senior U.S. official said.

Hodgkinson was wounded by police protecting the congressmen and died a few hours later.

Trump won the US presidential election in November.

A congressional aide, identified by Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas, as Zack Barth, was also injured in the shooting and was receiving medical attention. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. "It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co.", one of the pages posted in March. His Facebook account which has now been taken down bore a profile picture with a USA flag featuring the slogan, "Democratic Socialism explained in 3 words: We the People".

"Trump is Guilty & Should Go to Prison for Treason, " Hodgkinson wrote.

"Had I not gotten the charge dismissed, he wouldn't have been able to own a gun", said Lyndon Evanko, who represented Hodgkinson in the case.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The man who shot a congressman and four other people Wednesday had apparently volunteered for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, the Vermont senator said Wednesday before assailing violence as "unacceptable in our society".

The Illinois man who opened fire on a Republican congressional baseball team in Virginia Wednesday lived in a van for three months, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said.

"I just didn't want her to wake up and learn the news", Flake said. I yelled 'Stop shooting. "There are houses over there, '" Schaumleffel said.

That's when Schaumleffel called the St. Clair Sheriff's Office. Most of the infractions were ultimately dropped. He also had a history of violence against his family members. His licence to appraise real estate expired in 1997.

In this April 17, 2012, photo, James Hodgkinson of Belleville protests outside of the United States Post Office in Downtown Belleville, Ill. He is said to have been a strong supporter of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.