Investigation Continues Into Congressional Baseball Practice Gunman

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The FBI has swarmed the Illinois home of James Hodgkinson, combing through evidence trying to understand what could've led the 66-year-old man to the shooting rampage at a Republican congressional baseball practice.

"99 percent are getting pushed around and the one percent aren't giving a damn." That was Hodgkinson back in 2011 at an "Occupy Wall Street" protest.

The alleged gunman was never shy about sharing his political thoughts, and often took to Facebook to vent.

Hours before the shooting, he posted to the Facebook group page "Terminate the Republican Party," calling the Republicans "thieving" and "cheating."

"I just want to let people know he wasn't evil, just tired of some of politics going on," a friend of Hodgkinson said.

It appears Hodgkinson had a legal firearms owner identification card, despite numerous misdemeanor cases, including a 2006 domestic battery charge, which included aggravated discharge of firearm.

According to the complaint, Hodgkinson had fired shots outside a home and punched his daughter in the face.

Those who knew him say they're floored by the blood shed.

"He was in a few fights and stuff like that, nothing would demonstrate violence as far as what he did," a friend of Hodgkinson said.

The FBI says Hodgkinson left his Illinois home months ago, and he was living out of a van in Alexandria, where he frequented the YMCA, and even engaged in conversations with the former mayor.

Authorities say he was unknown to the Secret Service.

"If you put two people in front of me and said pick the person you think did what happened today, he would not have been on my radar," said former Alexandria mayor William Euille.

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