Three Texas congressmen escape shooting - aide from Houston hit 'Thank goodness there was an armed detail on the scene or this could have been much worse.'

WASHINGTON – A congressional staffer from Houston was among the wounded in today's shooting at a congressional baseball team practice.

When a gunman opened fire on the Republican team in suburban Alexandria Wednesday morning, there were three Texas lawmakers on or close by the field:

Reps. Roger Williams of Austin, the longtime GOP coach, Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, and Joe Barton of Dallas-Fort Worth, sometimes referred to as the "dean" of the Lone Star State's delegation. None were hit by gunfire.

Williams' staffer, 24-year-old Zack Barth - who once interned for Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez when he served on the Houston City Council - was also hit, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Also hit was Louisiana U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, the House GOP majority whip.

Brady had left the field before the shooting, and aides said he was clearly shaken by the news of Scalise's shooting. Brady and Scalise are close friends and roommates in Washington, along with Minnesota U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, center, and his sons, board the Rayburn subway in the basement of the Capitol after a shooting at the Republican's baseball practice in Alexandria on June 14, 2017. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) less Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, center, and his sons, board the Rayburn subway in the basement of the Capitol after a shooting at the Republican's baseball practice in Alexandria on June 14, 2017. (Photo By Tom ... more Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Image 1 of / 59 Caption Close Three Texas congressmen escape shooting - aide from Houston hit 1 / 59 Back to Gallery

Barton, the manager of the Republican congressional baseball team, said he and other players and staff arrived at the field around 6:30 a.m., readying for Thursday night's scheduled charity game against the Democrats.

He said the shots rang out, shortly after 7. m., from what appeared to be a high caliber firearm.

"The suspect was shooting at members and staff on the field," he said. "Officers of the Capitol Police returned fire and ran towards the shooter, risking their lives while saving others."

He said the shooting went on for about 10 minutes before the police secured what he called a "cease fire, capturing the suspect."

"My gratitude goes to the brave men and women who risked their lives to bring the shooter down," Barton said.

A decision about going ahead with Thursday's game hung in the air later Wednesday. But some staffers recalled the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, when members of Congress rallied on the Capitol steps and vowed to go on with business as usual.

Barth, who was attending the practice, was among those shot.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez recalled Barth as a "phenomenal young man" who was a smart, soft-spoken and capable summer intern.

"When I heard this morning about what happened, obviously, immediately, my thoughts and prayers went out to the Capital Police and Congress, but I didn't know he was one of the impacted," Gonzalez said. Then his former District H colleagues contacted him with the news.

"I was just shocked, it really hit home," he said. "So I was happy and relieved to see he's expected to make a full recovery."

Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischman described hiding in a dugout with Barth during the violent rampage.

Standing in the Capitol building still dressed in his baseball uniform Wednesday morning, Fleishmann gave a harrowing account of how he was standing near third base when the first gun shot ran out.

He said he and other players dropped to the ground but eventually decided he was safer in the first base dugout and ran across the field, where he believes he saw Barth, a Houston native who studied at the University of Texas-Austin.

"I believe he was actually in the dug out. I saw a gentleman with a bullet hole in his leg," Fleischmann said.

A spokeswoman for Williams office said she had spoken with Barth, who has been writing letters from the congressman since September, and he was at the hospital being evaluated and was "doing well."

"Please keep the member of my staff and all members of the congressional baseball team in your thoughts and prayers," Williams wrote on Twitter.

Fleishmann also said Williams injured his ankle during the shooting.

"Congressman Roger Williams, who is one of our assistant managers, was taken away with what I believe was a broken ankle," he said. "He he was all bloodied up, as were several others."

Williams' spokeswoman said the congressman suffered "minor injuries" but could not confirm he broke his ankle.

Fleischman described a scene in which he and other hid in the dugout as shots rang out around them.

"We stayed down. When I got to the dugout I laid directly against the wall and did not get up until they said it was clear to do. By that time the shooter had been subdued," he said. "Our concern was about our fellow members and the people who'd been shot and injured."

The shooting happened at about 7 a.m. local time, when an armed gunman arrived at baseball practice and opened fire. The gunman has been detained.

Williams said the Republican baseball team holds practice every morning at 6:30 a.m. at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, in a quiet residential area of Alexandria.

A top aide to Brady said he left practice before the shooting began. "Thank goodness there was an armed detail on the scene or this could have been much worse," the aide said.

Politicians from both parties quickly went to Twitter or issued statements to express their reaction to the morning's shooting.

"Saddened by this morning's shooting at the congressional baseball practice. Prayers for a speedy recovery for all involved," Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land.

"Grateful for quick response of Capitol Police and local and federal law enforcement this morning. They saved lives," Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, wrote.

Houston Democrat Al Green, recently the target of death threats, called the shooting a symptom of increasingly divisive partisan politics. "We have to set aside all of our differences and stand on the common ground that unites all of us," he said.

President Donald Trump also spoke out.

"Everyone on that field is a public servant," Trump said, "our courageous police, our congressional aides who work so tirelessly behind the scenes with enormous devotion, and our dedicated members of Congress who represent our people."

St. John Barned-Smith contributed.