--- title: Steve Scalise: Chris Collins Says He'll Start Carrying Gun description: Republican House member Chris Collins of New York vowed to start carrying a gun with him following the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise canonical: https://time.com/4818560/chris-collins-steve-scalise-shooting/ author: Aric Jenkins article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-06-14T19:24:18.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:07:29.047Z article:section: Politics og:title: GOP Congressman Vows to Carry Gun 'From This Day Forward' Following Virginia Shooting og:description: "It’s going to be in my pocket from this day forward" og:url: https://time.com/4818560/chris-collins-steve-scalise-shooting/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5c2eb8c5c7fb77fa/6988d1b30b72e315b76ee3d7/chris-collins.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4041 og:image:height: 2273 og:image:alt: House GOP og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: GOP Congressman Vows to Carry Gun 'From This Day Forward' Following Virginia Shooting twitter:description: "It’s going to be in my pocket from this day forward" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5c2eb8c5c7fb77fa/6988d1b30b72e315b76ee3d7/chris-collins.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # GOP Congressman Vows to Carry Gun 'From This Day Forward' Following Virginia Shooting > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=0b710296-7b02-4167-b644-70ae6d6bfc93&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: "United in Our Anguish": Politicians React to Virginia Shooting [Watch (HLS stream): "United in Our Anguish": Politicians React to Virginia Shooting](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ODq41W75.m3u8) (2:49)  _Published 2017-06-14. A top Republican leader in Congress and others were shot early Wednesday morning in Virginia authorities and witnesses said._ by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Jun 14, 2017 7:24 PM UTC by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Jun 14, 2017 7:24 PM UTC Rep. Chris Collins vowed Wednesday to start carrying a gun with him “from this this day forward” following the [shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise](http://time.com/4817777/alexandria-shooting-steve-scalise/) and at least three others at an early-morning baseball practice in Virginia. “You look at the vulnerability. I can assure you, from this day forward, I have a carry permit, I will be carrying when I’m out and about,” the Republican representative of New York told WKBW, an ABC affiliate in Buffalo. “On a rare occasion I’d have my gun in the glove box or something, but it’s going to be in my pocket from this day forward,” he added. > [](https://twitter.com/Ali2e/status/875017487913562112) Collins’ remarks came after Scalise and congressional aide Zack Barth were [shot](http://time.com/4817818/steve-scalise-alexandria-shooting/) during a GOP baseball practice for an annual charity game that pits Democrats versus Republicans. Scalise is currently in critical condition, according to a statement. The suspected gunman was identified as [James Hodgkinson](http://time.com/4818165/steve-scalise-shooting-suspect-james-hodgkinson/), a 66-year-old Illinois resident who later died from his sustained injuries, according to the Associated Press. Hodgkinson reportedly volunteered for [Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign](http://time.com/4818385/steve-scalise-shooting-james-hodgkinson-bernie-sanders/). The Vermont senator spoke on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, saying he he was “sickened by this despicable act.” Collins blamed Democrats for fueling anger against Donald Trump and the GOP. “I can only hope that the Democrats do tone down the rhetoric,” Collins told[ Buffalo’s WBEN radio](http://buffalonews.com/2017/06/14/collins-indicates-democratic-rhetoric-led-shooting-gop-congressman/). “The rhetoric has been outrageous – the finger-pointing, just the tone and the angst and the anger directed at Donald Trump, his supporters. Really, then, you know, some people react to things like that. They get angry as well. And then you fuel the fires.” ## Transcript A gunman opened fire when members of congress and their staffs, as they were practicing for tomorrow's annual charity baseball game. We may have our differences, but we do well in times like these to remember that everyone who serves In our nation's capital is here because, above all, they love our country. Madam President, I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball practice this morning Is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign. I am sickened by this despicable act. And let me be as clear as I can be. Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society. And I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. We are united, we are united in our shock, we are united in our anguish, in attack, and one of us is in attack on all of us. I ask each of you, To join me to resolve, to come together, to lift each other up, and to show the country, to show the world, that we are one House. The people's House. United in our humanity, it is that humanity which will win the day and it always will. God bless, I yield. Again, we are not one caucus or the other in this house today. But we speak for each other in saying, we send our thoughts and prayers to our colleague Steve Skelise. This morning is the most sobering reminder for how thankful we should be for the service of the capital police force. Who put their lives on the line day- in day- out for us to be safe. I cannot be more grateful that Capitol Police were there at a time to prevent this attack from being any worse than it was. I was with Senator Paul in the gym who had been there, and he told me had. These two Capitol Police officers, who were part of Congressman Scalise's detail not been there, it might have been a massacre. We're deeply indebted for their service. We again salute their continuing and unfailing bravery on behalf of the Capitol community. A Congressional baseball game is a bi- partisan charity event. 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