Scalise "continues his very courageous fight", adds "it's been much more difficult"

The Congressional Baseball Game will go as planned Thursday at Nationals Park after Democrats and Republicans called for bipartisan unity in the wake of the congressional baseball practice shooting.

The first Congressional Baseball Game was played in 1909, and it's been held on an annual basis since 1962.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi lashed out angrily at such comments.

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File).

U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, remains in critical condition after und...

"House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) was among multiple people shot in Alexandria, Virginia Wednesday morning, raising concerns the aggressive political climate in the country could be normalizing violence".

Trump, who visited Scalise at the hospital on Wednesday, said the congressman was "in some trouble but he's going to be okay, we hope".

Although Scalise was able to talk on the ballfield, by the time he was transported by helicopter to the hospital, he was in shock.

Pence had visited the hospital where Scalise is being treated earlier in the day.

Scalise was among five people wounded when the shooter sprayed rifle fire at congressional Republicans practicing for the game.

Since then, the lawmaker has undergone multiple surgeries and procedures to stop the bleeding and fix bone.

Scalise had been fielding balls at second base when he was shot and then dragged himself away from the infield in a trail of blood. Scalise was hit as a gunman sprayed bullets into a GOP congressional baseball practice outside Washington D.C. The fact that his injuries brought him close to death was not widely known initially.

Sava said Friday that there are hundreds of bullet fragments in Scalise's body. If the bullet traveled down the leg, doctors would be anxious about injuries to the femoral artery, a large artery in the thigh, which could cause major bleeding.

Doctors "fully expect him to walk", Sava said, "and hopefully run".

"I think that the president contributed to this significantly", said Rep. James Clyburn of SC, the No. 3 House Democrat.

Sava said his risk of death is "substantially lower" than it was on Wednesday. Scalise had the solid backing of conservative members, including many Southerners.

With an injury like the one Scalise endured, a patient is very likely to have long-term complications, although the complications would depend on exactly which body structures were injured, Evans said.

The shooter, James Hodgkinson, was a small business owner in IL who defined himself publicly by his firm support of Bernie Sanders' progressive politics - and his hatred of conservatives and President Donald Trump.

"He's having a hard time, far worse than anybody thought", he said, adding that he hoped the country could become more unified in the aftermath of the shooting.

On behalf of Steve and our children I want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for the incredible amount of prayers and warm wishes that we've received since Wednesday's events.

Scalise's chief of staff, Brett Horton, read a statement from Scalise's wife Jennifer.

Authorities identified James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old resident of Belleville, Illinois, as the gunman.

Members of both parties said they needed to soften rhetorical attacks on each other, if only to set a better example for a public that seems increasingly divided into hostile political camps.

Her colleagues on the other side of the aisle were at their final practice before this year's game when the Federal Bureau of Investigation says James Hodgkinson opened fire on the players, injuring five people, including Rep. Hodgkinson was shot by police and later died of his injuries.

Also hurt but released from hospitals were two Capitol Police officers, David Bailey and Crystal Griner, and House GOP aide Zack Barth. MedStar Washington Hospital Center said in a statement updating his status that the other patient "is in good condition".

Bailey was spotted Friday in the Capitol, on crutches and out of uniform, accepting congratulations from fellow officers.

Lobbyist Matt Mika was shot multiple times and remains hospitalized.