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(AP/TJV) A shooting at Donald Trump‘s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.
Video of the Assassination attempt above
A shooter is dead and an attendee was killed. Trump’s campaign says he is “fine” after being whisked off the stage and is being checked out at a local medical facility.
The shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team and killed, according to two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation publication.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN that in addition to the spectator who was killed, another attendee was taken to a local hospital and in serious condition.
“The shooter is dead,” Goldinger said.
He said the shooter was outside the rally grounds, but he didn’t give additional information about where the shooter was.
this BBC interview with a guy outside the security perimeter who claims he saw the shooter before he fired is absolutely wild pic.twitter.com/vJpKZTxSAe
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 13, 2024
The BBC Interview with a witness (above) is fascinating and indicates there are a lot of important questions to be looked into, including the possible failure of the Secret Service to secure buildings surrounding the event.
The witness, who was outside the event having a party with friends, claims to have seen the shooter crawling up the roof of a building and saw the rifle. When he pointed this out to several police officers, they reacted with confusion.
According to the witness, several minutes passed between him seeing the gunman crawl to the roof, pointing him out to the officers, and the actual shooting. The interviewed Trump supporter seems to insinuate that there was probably enough time to prevent the shooting.
“Quite frankly I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds and I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out — how he got there,” Goldinger told CNN.
The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the president and major party nominees and is meant to confront any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the protectee.
Trump is bleeding from the ear but it looks like he just survived an assassination attempt.
Please pray for our country. pic.twitter.com/f41MTodZ18
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) July 13, 2024
Two officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation publication.
The shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents, the official said.
Donald Trump’s campaign said in a statement that he was “fine” after being whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.
This man shot down the shooter in just a SECOND after shots were fired.
He saved Trump’s life. pic.twitter.com/LokgJtJ6EK
— Jack (@jackunheard) July 13, 2024
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
The former president and presumptive Republican nominee was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.
🚨🚨
Here is a photo of police removing the sniper shooter who tried to assassinate President Trump at the rally in Pennsylvania today.
May he burn in hell. Stupid mother fucker. pic.twitter.com/WDjhVfvMKe
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) July 14, 2024
He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist. His motorcade has since left the venue. His condition was not imme
Biden’s campaign is pausing all messaging to supporters and is working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible, the campaign said.
🚨 NOW: Donald Trump was just shot at at his rally. He fell to the floor and tons of agents rushed him. He got up and looked really disoriented and it appears his ear is bloody. Secret Service put him in the car and rushed him away. All agents have guns drawn. pic.twitter.com/h1I3w10VwC
— Jaimee Michell (@thegaywhostrayd) July 13, 2024
President Biden said he was relieved that Trump is reportedly “doing well.” He pledged to update the public either later Saturday on whether they speak, as well as additional details about the investigation. “It’s sick. It’s sick,” he said during a news briefing. Biden says he has tried to get ahold of Trump but hopes to talk to him shortly
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., says he just spoke to his father on the phone and that “he is in great spirits.”
“He will never stop fighting to save America, no matter what the radical left throws at him,” he said of his father in a statement.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, posted on X that he and his staff are in contact with security planning coordinators ahead of the Republican National Convention, which is set to begin Monday in Milwaukee.
“We cannot be a country that accepts political violence of any kind—that is not who we are as Americans,” Evers said, also extending “thoughts” to President Trump and praising first responders.
