As his colleagues played baseball in his honor Thursday evening, MedStar Washington Hospital Center medical gave an update on Rep. Steve Scalise, who remains in critical condition but has improved.
Scalise, the third ranking member of House Republican leadership, was among six people who were injured after a gunman opened fire Wednesday in Alexandria, Virginia, during a Republicans’ early-morning practice ahead of a charity baseball game.
The gunman, identified by officials as James Hodgkinson, died after the shootout.
“Earlier today, Congressman Steve Scalise underwent a second surgery related to his internal injuries and a broken bone in his leg,” MedStar said in a statement Thursday. “He remains in critical condition, but has improved in the last 24 hours. The congressman will require additional operations, and will be in the hospital for some time.”
The Congressional Baseball Game, an annual tradition, went on as planned Thursday. Though the game pegs Republicans against Democrats, attendees and participating lawmakers showed unity in wake of the shooting. More than $1 million has been raised for Congressional Sports for Charity so far, the game’s organizers announced.
Instead of wearing hats representing their home teams, as is the normal tradition, this year players on both teams wore Louisiana State University hats in honor of Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, for part of the game.
House Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “Erin Burnett OutFront” that despite party affiliation they were both on “Team Scalise” on Thursday.
President Donald Trump, who visited Scalise in the hospital on Wednesday, sent a video message that played at the start of the game.
“By playing tonight, you are showing the world that we will not be intimidated by threats, acts of violence, or assaults on our democracy,” Trump said. “The game will go on.”