Lawmakers weigh security boost after baseball practice shooting

Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday were left pondering whether and how to increase their own security in the wake of a gunman's shocking attack against GOP lawmakers at a baseball practice, and it is already prompting some to start pushing for police protection at their homes and group events outside the Capitol.

"When you have a situation where you have 20, 30, 40 members of Congress in the same place, open to anybody just walking through, perhaps we should rethink that a little bit," Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., said during a news conference at the end of a day that put all of Capitol Hill on edge.

Republicans and police officials credited the Capitol Police protective detail for saving the lives of dozens of lawmakers and congressional staffers who were on the field when James Hodgkinson opened fire with a high-powered rifle. Hodgkinson injured four people, including Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., but was downed by the police, who stopped his shooting spree.

Lawmakers said right after the shooting that if not for Scalise's security detail, which he gets because he's part of the leadership team, many more would have died as "sitting ducks" on the field.

Traditionally, the Capitol Police do not stand guard at events outside of the U.S. Capitol unless a member of the Republican or Democratic leadership is present.