Arizona Rep. Trent Franks was on congressional baseball shooter’s list

PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) was on a list of names kept by the man who carried out a shooting at a Congressional baseball practice, CBS News reported Friday.

NEW: Va. shooter had list of names which included some congressmen — Reps. Mo Brooks, Jeff Duncan, Trent Franks, US official tells CBS News.

— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 16, 2017

Franks was not on the Republican baseball team, which was practicing at a park in Alexandria, Va. when the attack occurred. He was asked Friday in an interview whether he was told he’s part of an investigation on the shooting.

“Yes, I might be involved in that investigation and I can’t go further than that,” Franks told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was one of five people who were shot by James T. Hodgkinson at a baseball field in Alexandria, Va. on Tuesday. Two of the others wounded were Capitol Police officers.

“He was out to kill people,” Franks said of the shooter while talking to KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac & Gaydos on Friday. “(Scalise) took a bullet, and yet if he hadn’t, if he weren’t laying in the hospital tonight, there would probably be some funerals being planned right now for several members of Congress and his colleagues.”

Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake tried to render aid to Scalise, who was reported Friday to stand a good chance of recovery.

“(Scalise) laid out there alone for 10 minutes,” Flake said. No one could reach him because of the gunfire.

“We applied pressure to the wound. He was coherent the whole time.”

Franks represents Arizona’s 8th district, which covers areas including New River, Sun City and Peoria. He serves on the House’s Armed Services Committee and Judiciary Committee.

Some have publicly blamed inflammatory rhetoric for prompting the shooting. Franks said getting the truth into discussions and public discourse is important.

“It’s gotten to the point now where the truth is disinvited and everyone seems to know that and we just try to out-yell each other,” Franks said. “It doesn’t mean we hide from the great issues of our time – on the contrary, we have to take on the great issues of our time head-on.”

He was also asked if he’ll change anything going forward, for safety’s sake.

“I think I’ll be more aware,” he said. “I don’t want to leave it at that, but I think I almost have to for obvious reasons. I’m going to hopefully be more aware.”

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