During a campaign rally on Saturday, Donald Trump was shot in the right ear, causing panic in the crowd and splattering the Republican presidential candidate’s blood across his face. Despite the chaos, Trump emerged and pumped his fist in the air, appearing to mouth the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
The Secret Service confirmed in a statement that the shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed, and two other spectators were injured.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump shared on his Truth Social platform. “Much bleeding took place.”
As the shots rang out, Trump grabbed his right ear, looked at his hand, and then dropped to his knees behind the podium before being swarmed by Secret Service agents. He emerged about a minute later, his red “Make America Great Again” hat knocked off, and was heard saying “wait, wait,” before agents ushered him into a waiting vehicle.
The Secret Service and Trump’s campaign confirmed that he was safe following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh. The shooter’s identity and motive were not immediately clear. Leading Republicans and Democrats quickly condemned the violence.
The shots appeared to come from outside the area secured by the Secret Service, according to the agency.
A Washington Post reporter cited the Butler County district attorney, stating that an audience member was also dead and another person was in critical condition.
The shooting occurred less than four months before the Nov. 5 election, where Trump faces a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.
Trump had just started his speech when gunshots erupted, prompting him and other rally attendees to hit the deck. Secret Service agents swarmed around him, and Trump disappeared behind the podium for about a minute before being rushed to the waiting vehicle.
Trump and Biden are locked in a close election rematch, with most opinion polls, including those by Reuters/Ipsos, showing the two evenly matched.
Biden stated: “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Ron Moose, a Trump supporter in the crowd, described the chaos: “I heard about four shots and saw the crowd go down, and then Trump ducked real quick. The Secret Service protected him within a second.”
Moose added that he saw a man running, being chased by officers in military uniforms, and heard additional shots, unsure who fired them. Snipers had set up on the roof of a warehouse behind the stage by then.
The BBC interviewed a man who described himself as an eyewitness, saying he saw a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event. The witness and his group tried to alert security by pointing at the man. “I am thinking to myself, why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off stage,” he said. “Next thing you know, five shots rang out.”
Republicans, Democrats Decry Violence
Trump is due to receive his party’s formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday.
“This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed horror and relief that Trump was safe. “Political violence has no place in our country,” he said.
A Secret Service spokesperson stated on social media: “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe … This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
CNN reported that Trump was injured but provided no additional details about his condition.
The venue was abandoned, with chairs knocked over and yellow police tape around the stage. A helicopter flew overhead, and law enforcement officers were seen walking through the area. Armed officers were also spotted on a roof near the stage where Trump had been speaking.
Biden’s campaign was working to pause its television ads and halt all other outbound communication, a campaign official said on Saturday.
Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, easily bested his rivals for the Republican nomination early in the campaign. The party has largely unified around him after briefly wavering in support following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.
The businessman and former reality television star entered the year facing a raft of legal worries, including four separate criminal prosecutions. He was found guilty in late May of trying to cover up hush money payments to a porn star, but the other three prosecutions he faces have been delayed by various factors, including a Supreme Court decision early this month that found him to be partly immune to prosecution.
(Source: Reuters)
