-RW
UPDATE on Scalise:
"Congressman Steve Scalise sustained a single rifle shot to the left hip. The bullet traveled across his pelvis, fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding," MedStar said in a statement put out by Scalise's office. "He underwent immediate surgery, and an additional procedure to stop bleeding. He has received multiple units of blood transfusion. His condition is critical, and he will require additional operations. We will provide periodic updates."
UPDATE 2
From Trump:
Just left hospital. Rep. Steve Scalise, one of the truly great people, is in very tough shape - but he is a real fighter. Pray for Steve!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
Ouch! Hopefully Steve and the rest will make a decent recovery from their wounds. From what I can piece together, the shooter had an SKS rifle that shoots the 7.62x39 Russian round. SKS rifles are not the fastest handling, nor the most accurate. They are an affordable Communist Bloc rifle designed some ~70 years ago. If he left it unmodified, it looks kind of like a hunting rifle, and it only holds 10 rounds in a fixed magazine. This corresponds to witness accounts that there were 10 rounds of shooting and then silence.
ReplyDeleteIMHO, while this is obviously awful, everyone out there is extremely lucky that he didn't choose a more modern, better handling, more accurate rifle platform. Eg. The ubiquitous AR rifle is typically at least twice as accurate at the same distances, much quicker handling, and has more overall firepower due to 30 round detachable magazines.