Two critical details have emerged from the investigation into the Virginia shooting early this week which left Rep. Steve Scalise in critical condition.
First, James Hodgkinson obtained his guns legally as ATF/FBI gun traces confirmed, and he bought them in Illinois despite some of the most onerous gun laws in the nation.
Second, Hodgkinson was found by police to have had a ‘hit list’ of Republican congressmen in his pocket following the attack, two of who were at the practice that day and likely would have been shot had police not responded.
The lesson for the day is this: if someone is hell-bent on committing murder, they’re going to find a way to do it no matter what laws we pass.
Here’s more from Breitbart…
After police took out Alexandria attacker James Hodgkinson, they discovered an assassination list consisting of Republicans in his pocket.
Not only were the names on the list Republican, they were House members who are among the most conservative of Republicans. Life News notes that the three Representatives are pro-life.
The Daily Caller reported that the list contained the names of Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), and Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ). “All three representatives are members of the House Freedom Caucus” and Duncan and Brooks were at the Congressional baseball practice on Wednesday, but Duncan left before the attack occurred.
As Duncan was leaving he came upon Hodgkinson in the parking lot and said Hodgkinson asked “if the players on the field were Republicans or Democrats.” Duncan told him the baseball players were Republican.
CNN reported that Hodgkinson was a “Bernie Sanders supporter” who was “strongly anti-Trump.”
After the attack, Breitbart News noted that Hodgkinson bought all this guns legally. Roll Call reported that the Alexandria Police, the Capitol Police, the FBI, and the ATF released a joint statement, which said, “ATF has conducted traces on these weapons and has determined that both were purchased by the shooter from federal firearms licensees.”
