Republican Representative Steve Scalise, the House Majority Whip, and two Capitol Police were shot during baseball practice on Wednesday morning.
Scalise was shot in the hip and tried to drag himself off the field after he was shot.
The shooter, James T. Hodgkinson was a Bernie supporter who was obsessed with Trump-Russia conspiracy theories. He is now dead.
James Hodgkinson protesting to take more money from the rich.
TGP exclusively spoke with Hodgkinson’s neighbor, Jake Borsch.
Jake Borsch tells TGP that Hodgkinson was a very unstable man who had the police called on him numerous times for ‘rapid gunfire’.
Police showed up to Hodgkinson’s home after he allegedly shot at his daughter’s boyfriend’s feet and threatened him.
TGP: “Did Hodgkinson ever threaten his neighbors?”
Borsch: ‘We had our tires slashed on two of our cars in the fall right before the Presidential election.’
Borsch went on to explain that his tires and his dad’s tires were slashed while parked in his driveway. He often had pro-Republican signs on his lawn, such as a Republican Mayoral candidate.
Borsch: ‘The police were called many times to his home, but they had no urgency, they didn’t take his threats or gunfire seriously. He didn’t lose his firearms license even after he shot at his daughter’s boyfriends feet.’
TGP: “Was he married? Did he live alone?”
Borsch: ‘He was married, but left his wife a couple months ago.’
Divorce papers have not been filed, however; Hodgkinson relocated to Alexandria, VA a few months ago reportedly living in a car with one gym bag full of his belongings.
A local paper, Belleville News-Democrat reported on Hodgkinson’s past brushes with police over gunfire and threats:
In March, Hodgkinson was warned to stop firing his gun at trees on his property after neighbor complaints. He had a valid Illinois Firearms Owner’s Identification card at the time. In 2006, his shotgun was confiscated after a domestic fight between Hodgkinson, his daughter and two of his daughter’s friends. The charges were later dismissed. He has had other minor charges, including a DUI and resisting arrest charge that was dismissed in 1993, for which he received court supervision.
According to news reports, Sue Hodgkinson has told reporters that Hodgkinson had been living in Alexandria, Va. for the past few months. There was no record of divorce filings in St. Clair County, however. Sue Hodgkinson’s employer, a local accounting firm, declined to comment.
His brother, Michael Hodgkinson, told the New York Times that James was unhappy about the election of President Trump and had gone to Washington D.C. to protest. However, he also said that while James was “engaged in politics,” he otherwise led a normal life and had told his wife he would be returning home soon because he missed her and their dogs.
