Trump confirms bullet hit him in ear as shooting investigated as assassination attempt
Donald Trump appeared to be the target of an assassination attempt as he spoke at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, two law enforcement officials said. The former president, whose ear was covered in blood from what he said was a gunshot, was quickly whisked away by Secret Service agents and his campaign said he was “fine.”
A local prosecutor said the suspect opened fire and at least one attendee was killed. The Secret Service said two spectators were seriously injured.
Posting on his Truth social media page about two and a half hours after the shooting, Trump said a bullet “went through the top of my right ear.”
“I knew something was wrong right away when I heard the whistling, the gunshot, and immediately felt the bullet tear through my skin,” he said in the post. “There was a lot of blood, so I realized what was happening.”
The attack, carried out by a gunman who law enforcement officials said was later killed by the Secret Service, was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It came amid a deeply polarized political climate, just four months before the presidential election and days before Trump was formally nominated as the Republican Party’s nominee for president. his party congress.
Trump aides said late Saturday that the convention would go ahead and Trump “looks forward to joining all of you in Milwaukee.”
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their swift action in this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is doing well and is being evaluated at a local medical facility. We will provide further details as we go forward.”
The Secret Service said the suspected shooter opened fire from “an elevated position outside the rally site”. The agency said Trump was “safe and being assessed”.
“There is no place for this kind of violence in America,” President Joe Biden, who is running against Trump as the presumptive Democratic nominee, said in his speech. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”
Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not a protester and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents.
Officials said the shooter was attacked by members of the Secret Service’s counter-assault team. The heavily armed tactical team travels with the president and major party candidates everywhere and is tasked with confronting any ongoing threats while other agents focus on protecting and evacuating people at the security center.
Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a third person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees the Secret Service, said officials were involved with the Biden and Trump campaigns and “took every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”
A protest was interrupted by gunfire.
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was presenting a chart of border crossings at his final rally before the Republican National Convention opens on Monday when apparent gunfire began shortly after 6:10 p.m.
It took two minutes from the time the first shots were fired before Trump was ushered into a waiting SUV.
As Trump spoke, a loud bang was heard, and the former president raised his right hand to his right ear, while people in the audience behind him appeared shocked.
As the first explosion rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” and covered his ears as two more explosions could be heard and he ducked down. Then there were more explosions.
A voice could be heard near the microphone at Trump’s podium shouting, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as agents grappled with the former president. They piled on top of him to shield him with their bodies, as is their training, while other agents took up positions on the stage, looking for threats.
Screams rang out through the crowd of thousands. A woman was heard screaming louder than the rest. Then, voices said “the gunner is down” several times, before someone asked “can we move now?” and “are we safe?” Then someone ordered, “Let’s move.”
In the video, Trump can be heard saying at least twice, “Let me get the shoes, let me get the shoes,” along with another voice saying, “I got you.”
Trump stood up a few minutes later and could be seen raising his right hand to his face. It appeared that his face was covered in blood. He then raised his fist in the air and appeared to mumble the word “Fight” twice to the crowd of supporters, prompting cheers and chants of “USA. USA. USA.”
The crowd cheered as he stood up and raised his fist.
His motorcade left the venue just minutes later. Video shows Trump turning to the crowd and raising his fist just before he was ushered into his car.
Witnesses heard several gunshots and ducked for cover.
Reporters covering the protest heard five or six gunshots and many people ducked for cover, hiding under tables.
“Everybody was down on their knees or on their stomachs because we all knew, everyone was aware that this was gunfire,” Dave said. McCormickRepublican candidate for the US Senate in Pennsylvania, who sat to Trump’s right on stage.
McCormick said when he saw Trump raise his fist, he looked over his shoulder and noticed someone being hit while sitting in the audience behind the stage.
Eventually, first responders were able to get the injured man away from the large crowd so he could receive medical attention, McCormick said.
After the first two or three explosions, people in the crowd appeared startled but not panicked. An AP reporter at the scene said the noise initially sounded like firecrackers or perhaps a car explosion.
But then there was more gunfire. Panic set in as people realized what was happening. Shouts of “Get down!” echoed through the crowd.
When it became clear that Trump would not return to speak, attendees began to leave the venue. One man in an electric wheelchair became stuck on the field when his battery died. Others tried to help him move.
Police quickly ordered the remaining people to leave the location and US Secret Service agents told reporters to “get out now. This is a live crime scene”.
Two firefighters from Steubenville, Ohio, who were at the protest told the AP they helped people who appeared to be injured and heard gunshots coming from the loudspeaker.
“Shots went off around the arena, one hit the speaker tower and then chaos broke out. We fell to the ground and then the police converged on the arena,” said Chris Takach.
“The first thing I heard was a couple of cracks,” said Dave Sullivan.
Sullivan said he saw one of the speakers get hit and the bullets clattered, “we fell to the floor.”
As the Secret Service and other authorities converged on Trump, he and Takach assisted two people who may have been shot on the stage and cleared a path to get them out, he said.
“This is truly a sad day for America,” Sullivan said.
“After we heard the gunshot, then the hydraulic line was spraying everywhere, you could see hydraulic fluid coming out of it. And then the speaker tower started to fall down,” Sullivan said. “Then we heard another gunshot, you could hear, you know what it was, it was a bullet. Not a firecracker.”
“They are not the ones with the loudest guns,” he said.
“You could hear the bullets hitting the metal,” Takach added.
They then took cover behind a farm tractor.
Sullivan said they were worried about Trump and saw him stand up.
“He stood up and gestured that he was fine,” Sullivan said, raising his fist like Trump.
Political violence shakes America again
The dangers of campaigning became more acute after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in California in 1968, and again in 1972 when Arthur Bremer shot and seriously wounded George Wallace, who was running as an independent on a campaign platform that was sometimes compared to Trump’s. That led to increased protection for candidates, even as threats continued, notably against Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008.
Presidents, especially since the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, have had more layers of security. Trump is rare in being both a former president and a current candidate.
The White House said Biden has been briefed on the incident. He has received updates from Kimberly Cheatle, director of the US State Department, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
He told reporters just after 8pm that he had not yet been able to reach Trump but had been told the former president was “doing well”.
“I hope to talk to him tonight,” he said.
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., posted a photo on X of Trump, fist raised and face bloody in front of an American flag, with the words: “He will never stop fighting to save America.”
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Senator JD Vance, the three men on Trump’s short list for vice president, were all quick to issue statements expressing concern for the former president, with Rubio sharing an image taken as Trump was escorted off stage with his fist raised and a smear of blood on his face along with the words “God protect President Trump.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and that Pennsylvania state police were at the site of the protest.
“Violence directed at any political party or political leader is completely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.
