Congressman Steve Scalise On The Mend, Upgraded To 'Serious Condition'

Scalise underwent his third operation Thursday morning and remained in critical condition at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Scalise, the No. 3 House Republican, sustained injuries to internal organs, broken bones and severe bleeding after being shot in his left hip on Wednesday morning on a baseball field in a Washington, D.C., suburb.

Hemorrhaging is still the biggest concern for Scalise's medical team, but Sava said he fully expects Scalise will be able to walk again and "an excellent recovery is a good possibility". Politico reported Thursday that a lobbyist for Tyson Foods who was also shot Wednesday, Matt Mika, remains in critical condition and will require additional surgeries, his family said Thursday.

According to Sava, the bullet fractured upon entering Scalise's hip.

"I feel a lot more confident and a lot more optimistic than I did two or three days ago", Sava said, suggesting that the Louisana Republican had faced an imminent risk of death when he arrived by helicopter at the facility after Wednesday's shooting. Democrats gave the trophy to the Republicans, so it could be placedin Rep. Scalise's office as he recovers in the hospital.

At the press conference Friday, Scalise's chief of staff Brett Horton read a statement from Scalise's wife Jennifer thanking everyone for their prayers and well wishes and thanking the Capitol Police officers who helped save lives at the scene. The annual GOP-Democrats baseball game raises money for charity.

Aides to Ryan, R-Wis., confirmed the speaker had visited Scalise at MedStar Washington Hospital Center but declined to provide details of the encounter. "By playing tonight, you are showing the world that we will not be intimidated by threats, acts of violence, or assaults on our democracy".

Scalise was an enthusiastic participant in the ballgame - in 2015 he posted pictures from the many times he played in the competition against the Democrats' team. The announcer's mention of Scalise, the House majority whip who was critically wounded in the attack Wednesday, brought the masses to their feet. Hodgkinson, a Belleville, Ill., home inspector, had been living out of his van near the park.

The man who shot Scalise and others at the baseball practice had with him a piece of paper with doodles and the names of three lawmakers, according to a person familiar with the case.

They said that his "risk of death" has substantially lowered than when he arrived at the hospital. Hodgkinson was shot by police and later died of his injuries.

A huge ovation came from the crowd, which swelled to a record 24,959, when Special Agent David Bailey, one of the Capitol Police officers injured in the attack on Republicans at their ball practice in Virginia, threw out the first pitch.