The gunman was killed on site, one attendee was killed, and two were severely wounded.
By JNS and UWI Staff
Former President Donald Trump was rushed off stage—apparently bleeding from his ear—after being shot at a political rally in Butler, Pa., which law enforcement told the Associated Press is being investigated as an assassination attempt.
Trump lifted his fist as Secret Service agents walked him off stage. The Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger told the AP that the shooter was dead and another attendee of the rally was killed.
Two others were critically wounded.
The shooter has not been yet been identified pending further investigation, but there are some reports he was a 20-year-old Pennsylvania resident.
The bullet pierced the former President’s ear and came just a few inches from hitting him in the head.
“I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, and all of law enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pa.,” Trump stated several hours after the shooting. “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 that was badly injured.”
“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,” Trump added. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”
“Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening,” the president said. “God bless America!”
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the president’s campaign, earlier in the evening. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”
“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe,” stated Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service.
“This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,” he added.
David McCormick, a Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, told Politico that he was sitting in the front row at the event, and someone appeared to be shot behind him.
“All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot,” McCormick told the publication. “There’s lots of blood, and then the Secret Service were all over President Trump.”
Live video footage of the event appeared to show Trump clutch his ear mid-sentence as pop sounds could be heard and Secret Service agents rushed on stage to protect him.
Secret Service agents appeared to yell “get down” repeatedly as they rushed to the stage with more apparent shots ringing out. Someone picked up by the microphone on stage or in a live feed and said, “What are we doing?”
Secret Service agents appeared to say, “Are you ready? On ‘move.’ Move!” Before anyone moved, soldiers with rifles and bulletproof vests came up on stage.
Someone said, “Shooter’s down. Good to move. We’re clear. We’re clear.”
One of the Secret Service ages said, “I’ve got you, sir,” as Trump appeared to say, “Let me get my shoes.” As he walked off, apparently on his own, Trump raised a fist above the agents protecting him, to applause, cheering and chants of “USA.”
As he was taken into a black SUV, the former president again raised a fist.
“God protected President Trump,” wrote Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).
“Extraordinary,” wrote Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). “God bless President Trump.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) stated, “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former president Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country.”
“This should horrify every freedom-loving American. Violence against presidential candidates must never be normalized,” wrote Nikki Haley, a member of Trump’s former administration and a former candidate for president. “We are lifting up Donald Trump, the entire Trump family and all in attendance in prayer.”
A pool reporter asked U.S. President Joe Biden if he had been briefed on Trump being shot. ” He responded, ‘no,’” per the pool report. “He then didn’t respond to a question about how his meeting with leader Schumer went.”
A subsequent pool report noted that “the president has received an initial briefing on the incident at former president Trump’s rally.”
‘No place for political violence’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, wrote that “violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”