WASHINGTON -- Dusty Baker -- who lives in Alexandria, Va., during the season -- woke up to a phone call from a friend in California asking him if he was OK. His friend informed him of the news that shook Washington on Wednesday, after a man unleashed gun shots at a park in Alexandria while Republican members of Congress held a morning baseball practice.
The news struck even closer to Baker because he had recently visited the Capitol to have lunch with the managers and some others involved in the annual Congressional Baseball Game.

"It's a sad state of affairs," Baker said. "I told my family: You always have to be aware of your surroundings, because you never know. Especially in crowds. Especially where there are important people around."
Five people were wounded in the shooting, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise from Louisiana. The gunman, James T. Hodgkinson III, died after a shootout with police.
Scalise was critically injured and was in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon.

"We always see things happening from afar, but there are things happening domestically, too," Baker said. "I don't know what the answer is. It's just sad when innocent people get hurt."