Blind BBC reporter describes moment he had to take cover on the ground after ‘half a dozen shots’ were fired into crowd during attempted assassination of Donald Trump
A BBC reporter has described the moment he had to take cover on the ground after “six” shots were fired during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump last night.
Gary O’Donoghue, 55, was filmed lying on a grassy slope behind his car just after the former president’s speech when he heard gunshots.
As the crowd ran out into the street after him, the political reporter said: ‘Just as we were about to go live on the BBC World Service, we heard shots being fired, probably a couple of hundred yards from where we were standing.’
He said he had gone through the terrifying experience and heard about ‘six’ gunshots and a woman shouting that shots had been fired.
“A guy came along and said he thought there were some snipers but he wasn’t sure,” O’Donoghue added.
BBC political correspondent Gary O’Donoghue was filmed taking shelter on the ground behind his car just 10 minutes into Trump’s speech as shots were fired
Former US Prime Minister Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt on Saturday night after he was shot in the ear by Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20
Trump was surrounded by Secret Service agents after the incident as he was rushed to the hospital with blood running down his face
Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was killed by Secret Service agents after he attempted to assassinate the former US prime minister from a nearby rooftop
The reporter was crouched on the ground in front of a number of billboards, explaining that he and his team were waiting to see if things would clear up, hiding behind the “less than ideal” shelter of their vehicle.
The speech ended and the blind journalist indicated that he could no longer hear Trump speaking as he tried to figure out what had happened at the scene.
At 6:15 p.m. Saturday night, former U.S. President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt while delivering a speech at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The shooter has now been identified as 20-year-old registered Republican Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Federal campaign finance records have since revealed that the shooter was a registered Republican who had previously made a $15 donation to the liberal political action committee ActBlue on Jan. 20, 2021, the day of Biden’s inauguration.
From a rooftop about 450 feet (137 meters) from Trump’s podium, Crooks fired at least eight shots before the former president was seen clutching his bleeding ear.
Footage from that moment shows Trump being immediately taken away by US Secret Service as chaos ensues in the crowd.
But in a show of strength, Trump emerged from the cover of the suited officers, raised his fist and shouted, “Fight, fight, fight,” before being rushed to hospital.
Crooks had killed one member of the mob and seriously wounded two others before he was shot by the Secret Service.
According to the Secret Service, the gunman was killed after firing from an “elevated position” outside the outdoor event grounds.
Footage shows at least four police officers surrounding the bloodied gunman and the semi-automatic AR-15 rifle he was using on the roof, pointing their weapons at his body.
During the attack, Crooks appeared to be wearing merchandise advertising one of the most popular YouTube channels dedicated to firearms — Demolition Ranch — NBC News reported.
Secret Service agents swarmed the former president and rushed him to the hospital for treatment
Trump emerged from the cover of the suited officers and raised a fist, shouting, “Fight, fight, fight!”
Snipers stand on a roof at Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania
According to public court records from Pennsylvania, Crooks had no criminal history, and authorities say they are still trying to determine the motive behind the shooting.
His father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN late Saturday night that he was trying to figure out “what the heck is going on” but that he would “wait until I talk to the police” before talking about his son.
Officials have not released any additional information about the shooter.
“This is still an ongoing investigation,” the FBI said in a statement Sunday morning.
Last night, a bomb squad and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at an address registered to Crooks. Officers were standing guard in front of the yellow police tape.
Trump flew back to New Jersey, where he spent the night at his golf resort in Bedminster.
In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump thanked the Secret Service and other law enforcement officials “for their quick response.”
“I knew something was wrong straight away. I heard a whooshing sound, shots and immediately felt the bullet rip through my skin,” he said on social media.
‘There was a lot of blood loss, so that’s when I realised what was going on.
“I want to thank the United States Secret Service and all law enforcement for their quick response,” Trump added.
‘Most importantly, I would like to express my condolences to the family of the person who died at the demonstration, and also to the family of another person who was seriously injured.
‘It’s unbelievable that something like this can happen in our country.
‘GOD BLESS AMERICA!’
The shooter appears to have graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative that year, according to a report by The Tribune-Review in western Pennsylvania.
In an online recording of the 2022 graduation ceremony, he can be seen walking across the stage as the crowd cheers him on, then posing briefly with a school official and accepting his diploma.