Trump is fine after an assassination attempt at his rally
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BUTLER, Pa. — Former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt on Saturday when a gunman opened fire at him during a rally about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.
The U.S. Secret Service reported that one person was killed and two were critically wounded, all adult males. The gunman was shot dead by Secret Service agents.
Trump was quickly escorted off stage, and the rally ended shortly afterward.
Early Sunday, the FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pa., about 40 miles south of Butler.
“It’ll be some time before we can conclusively answer” if it was a lone gunman, stated Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police at a news conference late Saturday.
Bivens noted that the victims have been identified and their families notified, but their names are not being made public at this time.
The Pennsylvania State Police will lead the homicide investigation, while the FBI will handle the attempted assassination aspect. Bivens assured the public, "At this time we have no reason to believe there is any other outstanding threat."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his gratitude to the agents who protected him and extended his condolences to the victims' families.
"Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person who was badly injured," Trump said. "It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong when I heard a whizzing sound and shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through my skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening."
Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign's communication director, confirmed that Trump was checked out at a local medical facility and is fine.
Despite the incident, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee confirmed that the Republican National Convention will proceed as planned this week in Milwaukee, Wis., starting Monday.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, stated that at approximately 6:15 p.m. ET, a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally venue. Secret Service agents killed the shooter. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured.
President Biden condemned the violence in a public statement, calling the incident "sick."
"There is no place in America for this kind of violence, it's sick," he said from Delaware. "We cannot allow this to happen."
A White House official reported that Biden spoke to Trump late Saturday. Biden, who was in Delaware, returned to Washington and is expected to receive an updated briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials.
A Biden campaign official announced that the campaign is pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down its television ads as quickly as possible.
Chris Takach, an attendee at the rally, recounted the chaos to Oliver Morrison, a reporter for NPR member station WESA: “We were next to the speaker tower on the fence line, heard the shots, we heard ammunition rattling around in metal, and then the hydraulic line on the speaker tower on the right side comes down and then everybody hit the deck and then the cops all converged toward the right side of his body—Trump’s, that is.”
Lawmakers React to Trump Shooting
Congressional leaders quickly responded to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
“Praying for President Trump,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed his concern, saying his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump.”
Jeffries also commended law enforcement: “I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed this sentiment, stating, “Political violence has no place in our country.”
“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe,” Schumer added.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell remarked, “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics. We appreciate the swift work of the Secret Service and other law enforcement.”
Former presidential candidates Doug Burgum, Ron DeSantis, and Nikki Haley posted messages on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing their concern and offering prayers for Trump.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that he had been briefed and assured that “the Justice Department will bring every available resource to bear in this investigation."
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