7 Things to Know About Congressional Baseball Practice Shooter James Hodgkinson
4. He criticized Scalise in a 2015 Facebook post.
The Washington Post reports that Hodgkinson had previously voiced his disapproval with Scalise by sharing a political cartoon on Facebook that appears to show Scalise speaking to members of the Klu Klux Klan.
Along with the cartoon, Hodkinson wrote: "Here's a Republican that should loose His Job, but they Gave Him a Raise."
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5. Hodgkinson had a history of arrests and was accused of assaulting a woman in 2006.
Police records indicate that Hodgkinson has an extensive criminal history.
According to the Daily Beast, police records indicate that Hodgkinson was arrested in 2006 for domestic battery after he allegedly punched a woman in the face with a closed fist.
"When the woman's boyfriend walked outside of the residence, Hodgkinson allegedly aimed a shotgun at him and later fired one round," the Daily Beast report states.
"Hodgkinson was also 'observed throwing' an unnamed minor 'around the bedroom,' the police report said. Police identified the girl as his daughter," the Daily Beast report continued. "After the girl broke free, Hodgkinson followed and 'started hitting her arms, pulling her hair, and started grabbing her off the bed.' When a woman tried escaping with Hodgkinson's daughter in a vehicle, Hodgkinson reached inside and 'turned off the ignition."
"James then pulled out a possible pocket knife and cut [her] seatbelt," the police report stated.
6. Former Alexandria mayor says Hodgkinson was living out of a gym bag.
According to The Washington Post, former Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille said he had talked with Hodgkinson nearly every morning for the past month-and-a-half after his morning workouts at the YMCA.
Eullie, who was the city's first African-American mayor, said he tried to help Hodgkinson find a job when he realized that the Hodkinson was living out of a gym bag.
"He was a very friendly person. But what I did notice about this gentleman is he'd open up his gym bag and in it, he had everything he owned," Eullie said. "He was living out of the gym bag. That, and he sat in the Y's lobby for hours and hours."
"Outside of myself, I don't think he knew anyone else in town," the former mayor added.
7. Hodgkinson might have practiced for the attack.
The Daily Beast reports that one of Hodgkinson's old neighbors believes that Hodgkinson may have been engaging in target practice weeks before Wednesday's attack occured.
William Schaumleffel told the Post that he called the St. Claire County Sheriff's Office and complained about hearing about 15 shots fired outside.
Schaumleffel told the Daily Beast that he and his grandchildren were in their backyard when they heard shots being fired in rapid succession.
"I thought, my God, what is that guy shooting?" Schaumleffel said.
After telling Hodgkinson to stop shooting because of the fact houses were in the area, Schaumleffel recalls that Hodgkinson began shooting again in what he now refers to as "target practice."
"I told my wife, hey, I'm gonna call the sheriff. He's liable to turn the gun on us," Schaumleffel said.
