GOP lawmaker: Baseball field shooter asked 'whether it was Republicans or Democrats out there'

The gunman who shot Republican whip Steve Scalise asked about political affiliation before opening fire on lawmakers practicing for a congressional baseball game.

Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) left practice shortly before the shooting, and he believes he spoke with the gunman briefly before getting into a car with his staffers about 7:10 a.m., reported Fox News.

"There was a guy that walked up to us that was asking whether it was Republicans or Democrats out there," DeSantis said. "It was just a little odd, and then he kind of walked toward the area where all this happened."

The Florida Republican said the man was not carrying anything when he spoke to him, but DeSantis believes he fired the shots a short time later.

"There was no one that was obviously walking around with a rifle at the time, but it was just a little odd that he kind of really, you know, walked up to us and asked and then went ahead -- it was probably about three minutes, five minutes after we pulled out of the parking lot," DeSantis said.

Rep. DeSantis who at baseball practice recalls: “A guy...walked up to us that was asking whether it was Republicans or Democrats out there.” pic.twitter.com/GwozCPRdve

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