A shooting near Washington, DC that injured at least five would have been a “massacre” if not for the Capitol Police, a senator who witnessed the incident has claimed.

Republican Senator Rand Paul was participating in a routine congressional baseball team practise in a Washington, DC suburb when he heard a single, isolated shot.

The Senator, who was sitting in the batting cage, said he initially thought little of it. Over the next several minutes, however, Mr Paul said he saw and heard approximately 50 to 60 more shots fired across the field.

A lone gunman had descended on the practise, carrying what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle.

Huddled in the batting cage, Mr Paul said he noticed Senate Majority Whip Steve Scalise had been shot. The senator said Mr Scalise, who had been playing second base, was “shot but moving” and "trying to drag himself through the dirt out into the outfield”.

Mr Scalise was later removed from the field and is in stable condition at George Washington University hospital.

Virginia Shooting Show all 20 1 /20 Virginia Shooting Virginia Shooting House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and others were shot Wednesday at a congressional baseball practice, officials said AP Virginia Shooting Police and emergency personnel are seen near the scene where House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot during a Congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting A man receives medical attention from first responders on the scene following a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia, US EPA Virginia Shooting The Republican House majority whip Steve Scalise and at least four others have been shot shot at a congressional baseball game practice session, according to media report EPA Virginia Shooting Police close a street near the scene of a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia EPA Virginia Shooting Police close a street near the scene of a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia, USA EPA Virginia Shooting The Republican House majority whip Steve Scalise and at least four others have been shot shot at a congressional baseball game practice session, according to media reports EPA Virginia Shooting First responders on the scene following a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia, USA EPA Virginia Shooting Alexandria, Va. Police Chief Michael Brown speaks about the shooting in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich. talks on the phone while walking past a damaged vehicle at a shooting scene where House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La. was shot at a Congressional baseball practice AP Virginia Shooting A Capitol Hill Police officer walks past an automobile with the driver's window damaged at the scene of a shooting in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn. is seen near the scene of a shooting in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting A Capitol Hill Police officer stands his post at the entrance to the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill in Washington AP Virginia Shooting Law enforcement officers investigate the scene of a shooting near a baseball field in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting An Alexandria, Va. police officer tapes off an area near the YMCA after a shooting in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. walks toward media gathered at the scene of a shooting at a baseball field in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting The baseball field that is the scene of a shooting in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting Law enforcement officers gather near a shooting scene at baseball field in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas and other members of the Republican Congressional softball team, stand behind police tape of the scene of a multiple shooting in Alexandria, Va AP Virginia Shooting Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala. meets with reporters in Alexandria, Va AP

Mr Paul said the majority whip’s presence was likely one of the reasons the rest of the team – which includes 25 Republican members of Congress and their aides – made it out alive.

“Everybody probably would have died except for the fact that the Capitol Hill police were there," Mr Paul told MSNBC, adding that the officers were there primarily to protect Mr Scalise.

“Unfortunately [Mr Scalise] was hit and I hope he does well, but also by him being there it probably saved everyone else’s lives,” Mr Rand said. “Because if you don’t have a leadership person there, there would have been no security there.”

Representative Mo Brooks echoed these comments, saying the members of Congress were “pretty helpless” in their position on the field.

"We had nothing but baseball bats to fight back against a rifle with," Mr Brooks said.

Special Agents Crystal Griner, David Bailey, and Henry Cabrera were the first to exchange gunfire with the shooter. Alexandria, Virginia police arrived three minutes after receiving reports of the shooting, a little after 7am.

Both Ms Griner and Mr Bailer were injured in the exchange. Witnesses say Ms Griner continued defending the scene even after she was shot in the leg.