Unanswered Questions. The shooting of Matt Mika at the Republican Congressional baseball practice.

The subject of the number of shots Mika received is intriguing. But my next question, as a person that has worked in the medical field is this: What was the trajectory of those wounds? A lot of people are saying or implying that all the wounds occurred while he was standing. I find that almost impossible unless they occurred almost simultaneously, which would mean more than one shooter. What are the trajectories of each wound? Did any occur after he was down? Or on his knees possibly after the first shot?

a reply to: Khaleesi

I wish I had answers. But, like I said earlier, his family has been silent on his injuries and what happened.

They haven't been all over the morning shows to tell the story, that's for sure.

I also want to know if he was shot with a pistol or rifle...the gunman reportedly had both but didn't use the pistol until long after Mika was shot.

The gunman didn't use the pistol until he had rounded home base and was heading up the path to behind the first base dugout where he would have had a clear shot of Mika, at that point, if Mika wasn't already shot, by then.

If Mika had not survived, would we be hearing he was shot, during that time, and with the pistol?

a reply to: MotherMayEye


Well, since he didn't die, I doubt we will receive any detailed reports on his wounds other than what we already know. Patient confidentiality and all that. If he doesn't allow the doctors to release the info, they can't release it. My questions would be like yours. Bullets from rifle or pistol. Trajectory of bullets. Front to back? Back to front? Angle of entry? Downward angle of some would indicate he was going down or already down? So many questions we will probably never have the answers to unless he (Mika) answers them.

a reply to: Khaleesi

Part of the problem is that given the timeline we do know, there's nowhere to fit the trajectory and timing of Mika's injuries. Either he was standing when shot--because the shooter was on the move, and not using a scope, so he couldn't have possibly hit Standing Mika in the chest, which we know happened at least once as Mika /was/ seen upright then shot, run around shooting at everybody else for a moment then precisely hit Kneeling or Fallen Mika in the chest again--it doesn't work.

The pistol at close range would work just fine. But from what we know, he wasn't using the pistol until well after Mika was down. Which means the weapon matching most closely to the injuries as described also happens to be the one closest to Mika and definitely firing--behind the dugout, held by the city ("are you friendly?") cop. Which is why my first thought was friendly fire, but as MME points out, Mika must have been wearing a jersey...though that doesn't make it impossible that the cop made a terrible mistake...or indeed a deliberate one.

a reply to: Khaleesi

Yep, it sounds like he and his family are trying to keep everything as private as they can. Obviously, that is their prerogative, but I can't hep but wonder why.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Khaleesi

Yep, it sounds like he and his family are trying to keep everything as private as they can. Obviously, that is their prerogative, but I can't hep but wonder why.

The FBI is investigating this? They could possibly get the information in order to prove/disprove multiple shooter theory. But they'll never release it.

originally posted by: Khaleesi

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Khaleesi

Yep, it sounds like he and his family are trying to keep everything as private as they can. Obviously, that is their prerogative, but I can't hep but wonder why.

The FBI is investigating this? They could possibly get the information in order to prove/disprove multiple shooter theory. But they'll never release it.

The FBI investigating is like asking the fox to guard the henhouse, IMO. I wouldn't feel confident with anything they released anyway.

ETA: Yes, the FBI is handling the investigation.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: Khaleesi

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Khaleesi

Yep, it sounds like he and his family are trying to keep everything as private as they can. Obviously, that is their prerogative, but I can't hep but wonder why.

The FBI is investigating this? They could possibly get the information in order to prove/disprove multiple shooter theory. But they'll never release it.

The FBI investigating is like asking the fox to guard the henhouse, IMO. I wouldn't feel confident with anything they released anyway.

ETA: Yes, the FBI is handling the investigation.

Agreed. Like I said, if they have the info they will not release it.

Thats some interesting info. If there were two shooters, what was in it for the one that was in the open and would obviously have had no chance of escape, or probably even come out of it alive? If the motive wasnt political, what was our main culprits motive?

originally posted by: pirhanna
Thats some interesting info. If there were two shooters, what was in it for the one that was in the open and would obviously have had no chance of escape, or probably even come out of it alive? If the motive wasnt political, what was our main culprits motive?

If the second shooter was intentional, not accidental, there's no reason the patsy would even have to know about him. It would mean, though, that /somebody/ was aware of his intentions and enabled them. Which, while it does make a two shooter scenario less likely, isn't entirely impossible. We know he'd visited the field before in preparation, and wasn't really a subtle guy in general with his puerile political posturing.

a reply to: sepermeru

Worth mentioning that most witnesses said they thought the shooter was in his 40s or 50s. Hodgkinson was 66.

It was almost the only thing they agreed on other than he had a stocky build.

Could be nothing...but maybe not.

And now we have a sorta news story on Mika:

Link

No new info though...other than he was visited by Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth.

***

ETA: And I notice a bunch of news stories about Scalise being moved out of the ICU all hit an hour ago, too.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
And now we have a sorta news story on Mika:

Link

No new info though...other than he was visited by Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth.

***

ETA: And I notice a bunch of news stories about Scalise being moved out of the ICU all hit an hour ago, too.

He looks REAL good for someone that received 5 torso gunshots.


I tried posting my first comment regarding your excellent OP. But it got lost in the ether.
When I look at the photo, I see no tell tale signs of intubation. Slight redness to the left nares where an NG-tube may have been inserted (suction device is seen attached to wall). No O2 or IV displayed. But all is purely speculation.
I'm glad he is doing better.

a reply to: Violater1

I wonder what's behind that jersey...

ETA: There does seem to be some kind of line on the left side of the photo at the bottom corner of his pillow.

ETA2: Also, it was reported he was hit 4 or 5 times in the chest and arm...not sure how many bullets in each location. I do think I read "multiple times" in the chest though.

Jeff Flake's bizarre account:

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) gave a firsthand account on CNN Wednesday morning of a harrowing scene after House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot at a baseball practice with members of Congress.

Here’s what Flake said he saw and did:

We were going to batting practice. A number of members and staff fielding. Steve Scalise was on second base. All of a sudden we heard a very loud shot. Everybody thought, that sounds like a gun.

The gunman was over by the third-base dugout with a view of the field. A couple more shots and we knew what it was. I remember seeing some gravel, shots coming near us. We climbed into the dugout and tried to get our own people engaged, some people were calling 911.

It was at least 10 minutes because we were applying pressure to one of the staffers who was shot in the leg. We could see Steve Scalise in the field. He dragged himself from near second base into the field just to be further from the gunman. I wanted to get to him but there were still shots going overhead from both sides.

Finally when we heard the shooter was down, I ran out to Steve and started putting pressure. And then did that for about 10 or 15 minutes. We did that until the medics arrived.

Link

Let's hope he just has his sense of time way off...I can't imagine that after 10 minutes of shooting, it took EMTs 10-15 minutes to get to Steve Scalise after the gunman was down.

originally posted by: Violater1

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
And now we have a sorta news story on Mika:

Link

No new info though...other than he was visited by Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth.

***

ETA: And I notice a bunch of news stories about Scalise being moved out of the ICU all hit an hour ago, too.

He looks REAL good for someone that received 5 torso gunshots.

I tried posting my first comment regarding your excellent OP. But it got lost in the ether.
When I look at the photo, I see no tell tale signs of intubation. Slight redness to the left nares where an NG-tube may have been inserted (suction device is seen attached to wall). No O2 or IV displayed. But all is purely speculation.
I'm glad he is doing better.

Having just spent the last several months in various hospitals and related facilities, I will say that I am surprised by the lack of any visible evidence of the things you mentioned having been used. I concur on how good he looks for having undergone such trauma as has been reported. He doesn't look to have lost a lot of blood nor to have suffered from any dehydration.

I do wish him the best and hope for his speedy recovery, but it does appear as though he is well on his way to full strength.

[speculation]

What if he's in witness protection?

[/speculation]

I know, goofy and doesn't really pass Occam's test, but stranger things, eh?

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Things to consider...

• He is 8 days out from the shooting
• He was reportedly hit in at least one arm, both arms do appear usable in the photo
• He's only 38, so fairly young & healthy...recovery may be easier than what you and I are used to witnessing...
• If he lost a lot of blood but received a lot of blood/plasma, it probably wouldn't be evident 8 days later (btw, my mom died of hypovolemic shock, I am familiar with lethal blood loss.)
• He is out of the ICU...I am not sure how much equipment he would be relying on, at this point, but I can see at least one line on the left side of the photo trailing off the bottom corner of his pillow (and in the bend of his visible arm).

***

Lastly, I have some questions I have been meaning to pose:
• Why didn't Trump or Pence go and see the victim shot the most and in the most critical areas while he was in the hospital? Why just Scalise? Did they try to and Mika's family refused? Did they try to?

originally posted by: jadedANDcynical

[speculation]

What if he's in witness protection?

[/speculation]

I know, goofy and doesn't really pass Occam's test, but stranger things, eh?

I worry no one but his family and doctors are protecting him right now.

What happens when he's discharged? Will we ever hear the truth about what happened if we don't demand it?

And isn't it amazing the FBI can conclude the shooter didn't preplan and was a lone gunman, in about a week....

But it took 8 months to charge Weiner for sexting a 15 year old. And it took two years-ish to conclude Hilary was just irresponsible...

A week and the FBI has conclusions about this shooting though.

It's really f*cking disgusting how questionable (read as: corrupt) the FBI is.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Violater1

I wonder what's behind that jersey...

ETA: There does seem to be some kind of line on the left side of the photo at the bottom corner of his pillow.
ETA2: Also, it was reported he was hit 4 or 5 times in the chest and arm...not sure how many bullets in each location. I do think I read "multiple times" in the chest though.

Looks like a call lite cord. It comes in on the pt's top left and is possibly secured to the right side of his pillow.

Which one of the police killed Hodgkinson? Has that been reported?


BTW (side note)---Hodgkinson and his wife have raised several foster children. That's odd to me because there is domestic battery on his record, among some other charges.