WASHINGTON — What started on Saturday as an exuberant rally for Donald Trump days before he becomes the official Republican presidential nominee, ended in just minutes with the former president covered in blood and an alleged assassin who was shot dead by the Secret Service.
One spectator was also killed and two others were seriously injured in the shooting at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The former president was holding up a chart of border crossing numbers as the shots, at least five, were fired. Trump was seen holding his ear and lying on the ground. Officers quickly formed a shield around him. When he finally stood up, his face bloodied, he pumped his fist at cheering supporters. Trump and his motorcade left the scene and he was taken to a medical facility.
The attack was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
Here’s what we know so far:
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, released a statement Saturday night saying Trump was doing well and was being evaluated at a medical facility.
Trump also brought a rack On his Truth Social platform, he thanked the Secret Service and all law enforcement.
“I was hit by a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew something was wrong because I heard a whooshing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet tear through my skin,” he wrote. “There was a lot of blood loss, so then I realized what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Trump also expressed his condolences to the family of the person who died at the rally.
The FBI will lead the investigation and said it works with the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle were briefed President Joe Biden and are working with law enforcement partners to respond to and investigate the shooting, Mayorkas said. said on X.
“We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson also said the House will conduct a full investigation into the attack on Trump’s campaign rally. “The American people deserve to know the truth,” Johnson said. “We will bring Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other relevant officials from DHS and the FBI to a hearing before our committees as soon as possible.”
The identity of the shooter has not been released and his motives are also unknown.
The suspected gunman, who fired from a high position outside the event venue, an agricultural fair, was killed, the Secret Service said.
The shooter fired multiple shots from “an elevated position outside the meeting location,” the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement. rack.
Two officials who spoke to The Associated Press anonymously to discuss the ongoing investigation said the shooter was attacked by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team. The heavily armed tactical team travels with the president and major party nominees and is meant to counter active threats while other agents focus on protecting and evacuating the person at the center of their protection.
According to a person familiar with the matter, police found an AR-style rifle at the scene. The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation.
Trump held his final rally before the Republican Party convention that begins Monday in Milwaukee.
Pennsylvania is one of the key states in the presidential race and Trump has held at least two rallies in the state so far this year.
Congress will go ahead despite the shooting, and Trump advisers said he looks forward to attending.
The general reaction from both sides From across the aisle, there was gratitude that Trump was not injured, underscoring the issue of gun violence in America. Former lawmakers and presidents, including Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and the foundation established by 99-year-old Jimmy Carter, were also grateful that the outcome was not worse.
Several of Trump’s party members sent well wishes and prayers. Trump’s potential running mates — Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio — also sent statements.
While the motivation behind the shooting was unclear, Vance and some other Republicans blamed the Biden campaign’s anti-Trump rhetoric.
“Today is not just an isolated incident,” Vance said wrote on X. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to the attempted assassination of President Trump.”
Biden spoke at a news conference about three hours after the shooting. He said “everyone must condemn the suspected assassination attempt.” He said he had not been able to reach Trump for his remarks but spoke to Trump a few hours later, the White House said.