5 Facts About Crystal Griner, A Hero In The Congressional Shooting

ALEXANDRIA, VA — In the aftermath of the June 14 shooting at a GOP congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Special Agent Crystal Griner was one of the Capitol Police officers hailed for their courageous actions in opening fire on the shooter. Griner and Special Agent David Bailey were injured, as well as House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, the shooter and three others.

Griner was shot in the ankle, and Bailey was also shot. Both are expected to make a full recovery. In an update from MedStar Washington Hospital Center a few days after the shooting, Griner was said to be in good condition and good spirits.

Here's what we know about Griner:

1. Griner and Bailey's actions likely saved lives.

Sen. Rand Paul told MSNBC immediately following the shooting, had the Capitol Police officers not been there, "It would have been a massacre."

Witnesses to the shooting and officials echoed this message in crediting Griner and Bailey for preventing deaths and further injuries.

Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa said in a statement, “I want to commend Special Agents Crystal Griner, David Bailey, and Henry Cabrera for their heroic and appropriate response in protecting the Members and others today during their practice for the Congressional baseball game. I’m grateful that Special Agent Griner is in good condition in the hospital having been shot in the ankle."

"The courageous actions of Officer Crystal Griner, and that of Officer David Bailey, saved lives and prevented an even greater tragedy," said Vice President Mike Pence.

House Speaker Paul Ryan identified Griner and Bailey as the injured officers during a House floor speech after the shooting. “I spoke with Special Agent Bailey and Special Agent Griner this morning,” he said. “...I expressed our profound gratitude to them. It is clear to me, based on various eyewitness accounts, that without these two heroes, Agent Bailey and Agent Griner, many lives would have been lost.”

"She is amazing, and she's a hero," retired Capitol Police Chief Kim Dine told CBS News of Griner. "She epitomized what being a hero's all about."

Alexandria Police arrived on scene minutes later and joined Griner and Bailey in exchanging gunfire with the shooter. "I cannot emphasize the courage it must have taken those two officers to stop that initial engagement with that shooter," Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown said at a press conference Monday.

»SEE ALSO: Alexandria Congressional Shooting: From The Eyes Of First Responders

2. Griner is part of a protective detail for Capitol Police.

Griner was at the congressional baseball practice as part of a protective detail for Scalise, the number three Republican in the House of Representatives. Capitol Police are responsible for protecting Congress within the Capitol, but they do serve as a protective detail for members of Congress. Griner was one of the officers assigned to Scalise. Scalise's wife, Jennifer, said in a statement that Griner and Bailey "have been family to us for years."

Matt Dinkel, a spokesman for Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle, told ABC News Capitol Police are sometimes assigned to attend the baseball practices. The Capitol Police occasionally assign an officer to attend baseball practices, on a case-by-case basis. "There's usually a Capitol Police officer in a car in a parking lot several hundred yards away, but no one on near the field like the Scalise detail was," he said.

Capitol Police started with a single watchman when Congress moved to D.C. in 1800. An official force was established at the request of President John Quincy Adams in 1827 in response to a series of incidents. The first female officers were hired in 1974.

3. She was athletic and studious in school.

Griner majored in biology and played basketball at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, according to Heavy.com. In her freshman year, she was one of the top scorers on the team.

Griner was on the honor roll and played basketball at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City. According to Heavy.com, she led the basketball team to the 2002 Howard County championship and received a coach's award in 2001. She also played softball, making First Team All-County 2001 and becoming MVP in 2001.

Hood College wrote in a Facebook post, "Crystal Griner, Hood Class of 2006, has been identified as one of the two heroic Capitol Police officers who are credited with saving lives when they shot the gunman at a Congressional baseball practice in Virginia. Our thoughts are with all those injured and especially Crystal and her family."

According to Heavy.com, one classmate wrote on Facebook that Griner "was a woman to be reckoned with at Hood" and "an amazing athlete and a lively presence."

4. She is married to a woman.

After the shooting, social media was buzzing when Griner was identified as lesbian. She married Tiffany Gyar in May 2015 in Baltimore, according to a wedding registry. Word got out when a White House press pool report stated President Trump and First Lady Melania visited Griner and her wife in the hospital following the shooting.

Twitter users were quick to call out Scalise on his views against same sex marriage.

5. There's a GoFundMe to help pay for Griner's recovery.

A GoFundMe page recognizes Griner's heroic actions in a plea to raise money for medical expenses. The page seeks to raise $30,000 and has collected more than $21,000 as of Tuesday evening. The money will go directly to her family. The page says, "Crystal is receiving excellent medical care and continued support from her Agency, but the long road to recovery will result in significant expense."

Photo: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise arrives for a Special GOP Leadership Election in November 2016 with Special Agent Crystal Griner following behind. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press