The FBI has reclassified the 2017 congressional baseball practice shooting where Republican lawmakers were targeted during a practice session as “domestic violent extremism,” after lawmakers raised concerns about the agency’s initial determination that it was a “suicide by cop.”
During a House Intelligence Committee hearing last month, members on both sides of the aisle raised questions about why the FBI determined the shooting was not dubbed an act of domestic terrorism despite other law enforcement agencies classifying it as such.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) sustained life-threatening injuries and several others were injured when left-wing extremist James Hodgkinson fired more than 100 rounds at the Congress members and staff.
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), who was present for the shooting and was the first to publicly challenge the bureau’s outcome, said he spoke on May 14 with FBI Director Christopher Wray, who called to inform him in advance that the outcome would be changed.
“Our intelligence and law enforcement apparatuses require accuracy, precision and justice. I’m encouraged that the FBI has updated its classification of that nearly catastrophic event to reflect the actual motives of the assailant, and I commend Director Wray for his oversight of that correction,” he said in a statement.
“I will continue to work with the Bureau toward investigating what led to the original ‘suicide by cop’ determination.”
The Ohio Republican sent a letter to Wray following the April hearing calling for the agency to re-evaluate its decision, noting that more than a dozen GOP lawmakers and aides were targeted in a politically motivated attack. Wenstrup cited that the shooter arrived at the Alexandria, Virginia, baseball field with a list of Republican targets, indicating it was premeditated.
Both Scalise and Wenstrup confirmed to reporters last month that the FBI had briefed them on the shooting shortly after it took place, leaving lawmakers “furious” and perplexed by the initial outcome.