Virginia Congressional Shooter's Wife: 'I'm Sorry That He Did This'

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The wife of James Hodgkinson, the gunman that opened fire on GOP congressmen Wednesday in Alexandria, says he went to D.C. to work on tax policy, the Associated Press reported. Rep. Steve Scalise and five others were injured, and Hodgkinson died at the hospital from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso.

“I had no idea this was going to happen and I don’t know what to say about it. I can’t wrap my head around it,” Sue Hodgkinson told reporters at her Illinois home Thursday. (Sign up for real time alerts and a newsletter. iPhone users can download the Patch app in the App Store. Plus, like Greater Alexandria Patch on Facebook.)

Sue Hodgkinson said they had been married for 30 years but have not been together since he left for the D.C. area in March. She did not know much of what he did between January and March because she was busy with work. However, she did know he sold items from his business and said he was going to D.C. According to ABC News, James Hodgkinson's daughter moved back in with her 2-year-old not long before he left.

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The FBI said Wednesday that Hodgkinson had been living in the Alexandria area since March. He was not working, and officials would not say if he was perceived as a threat before the shootings. The FBI is investigating Hodgkinson's associates, whereabouts, social media impressions and potential motives, as well as his home in Illinois.

Sue Hodgkinson found out about the shooting at work from a reporter's phone call.

"I'm sorry that he did this," she told reporters. "There's nothing I could do about it."

Anyone with information about Hodgkinson should call the FBI's 24-hour access line at 1-800-CALL-FBI and select option 1.

Photo of shooter James Hodgkinson via Facebook.com screenshot