Former Representative Gabrielle Giffords ( D – AZ ) , who survived being shot in the head at a constituent event in 2011 , sent a tweet that read " My heart is with my former colleagues , their families and staff , and the US Capitol Police — public servants and heroes today and every day . " Hours after the shooting , Senator Bernie Sanders responded on the Senate floor to news that Hodgkinson was a campaign volunteer for his 2016 presidential run : Reactions to the shooting among political activists were split . Some liberals , like Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe , called for stricter gun control laws , while some Republicans , like Chris Collins , blamed anti-Trump rhetoric . Other activists blamed growing national polarization for causing the shooting
constituent event in 2011
2011 Tucson shooting
2017 Congressional baseball shooting