First Daughter Ivanka Trump opened her previously scheduled event at the White House Wednesday by paying homage to the victims of the shooting in Alexandria, Va., including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.
“I’d like to start by echoing my father’s statement earlier and offering our thoughts and prayers to Congressman Scalise and all of the victims in today’s tragic events. We are grateful for their service and their dedication to this country,” Trump said. “My father said this morning that it’s times likes these that we must all work together for our country.”
Scalise and a congressional aide were shot after gunfire erupted while Republican lawmakers were practicing for a congressional baseball game in Alexandria Wednesday morning. Scalise is in critical condition, according to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and the other patient was hospitalized.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the suspect had died after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement. According to the Associated Press, who cited a government official, the suspected gunman has been identified as James Hodgkinson.
Trump had posted about the shooting earlier in the day on her Twitter account, expressing her gratitude for first responders.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Scalise and others injured in this morning's terrible incident. Grateful to the first responders.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 14, 2017
Trump was speaking at a previously scheduled CEO roundtable as part of workforce development week. In attendance were 18 CEOs from companies including Accenture, Siemens USA, Cigna, and Lockheed Martin.