The man who shot five people at a Republican congressional baseball practice Wednesday morning appears to be a diehard liberal, judging by social media accounts under his name.
The Washington Post was first to identify the shooter as James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Illinois. There are two Facebook accounts for a James T. Hodgkinson and James Hodgkinson living in Belleville, Illinois with the same work history and similar syntax.
Both accounts show enthusiastic support for former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and a deep loathing of President Donald Trump and other Republicans.
"Trump is a Traitor," reads one March posting. "Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co."
Hodgkinson elsewhere declared Trump, members of his family, and other GOP politicians as "traitors." "This Country Could Do With One Less Republican," he wrote in an April post.
The 66-year-old shooter once accused Republicans who supported the GOP health care bill of trying to kill fellow Americans. "I Hope [Republicans] Have a Few More that Actually Like Americans & Don't Want to Kill Them," he wrote.
Republican Congressmen Ron DeSantis and Patrick Meehan have both told reporters that before the shooting, a man approached them and asked whether they were Republicans or Democrats.
Sanders himself confirmed that Hodgkinson was a campaign volunteer after his social media posting went viral. "I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms," he said in a statement.
NEW: @SenSanders set to deliver stmt on floor. Was informed shooter apparently volunteered on campaign, is "sickened by this despicable act" pic.twitter.com/mHEhHwRhby
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) June 14, 2017