Following a shooting that injured former President Donald Trump at Saturday’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the shooting is being investigated as an assassination attempt.
The former president was escorted off stage during the campaign rally Saturday afternoon after shots were heard minutes into his speech. The AP later reported that the shooter was dead and a rally attendee was killed.
Trump’s spokesperson has since released a statement, “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.”
Context
Shortly after the shots began, Trump appeared to fall to the ground as he presented his speech and appeared to have blood on the side of his face. He was quickly surrounded by armed security and stayed down for around a minute.
The incident comes days before Trump is set to be officially named the Republican nominee and amid the 2024 election in a likely matchup with President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee.
What We Know
Saturday’s shooting was the first attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
The Secret Service said it was investigating the incident. According to AP, the Secret Service said the suspected shooter fired from “an elevated position outside of the rally venue” and that Trump is “safe and being evaluated.”
According to Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. told ABC News the former President is at the hospital and in “good spirits,” and said his father is under observation and is “never gonna stop.”
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania,… Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. Republican candidate Donald Trump was evacuated from the stage at today’s rally after what sounded like shots rang out at the event in Pennsylvania, according to AFP. The former US president was seen with blood on his right ear as he was surrounded by security agents, who hustled him off the stage as he pumped his first to the crowd. Trump was bundled into an SUV and driven away.
AFP/Getty Images
Views
Since the shooting, some have taken to social media to respond to the incident.
NBC News national law enforcement and intelligence correspondent Tom Winter took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the preliminary concerns around law enforcement circles that the incident “may have been a serious attempt” on Trump during the earlier reports.
“URGENT: There is a growing concern in law enforcement circles that this MAY have been a serious attempt on the life of former President Donald J Trump, two senior U.S. law enforcement officials tell NBC News,” Winter wrote.
Winter followed up after more information was released writing on X, ” At the time of this tweet and immediately following the event law enforcement officials weren’t sure what happened and whether or not a BB gun was used or some other projectile. We felt it important to update you once it became clear the gravity of the information we were hearing about the incident.”
Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican wrote on X, “Someone just tried to kill President Trump. Pray for him. And for swift justice.”
GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia wrote on X and shared a video of the incident, “Today, someone finally tried to take out the leader of our America First and the greatest President of all time. Watch the video, President Trump said ‘FIGHT,’ SO WE WILL!!”
Meanwhile, President Biden issued a statement following the shooting, “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.
Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
In addition, in a brief televised address Saturday night, Biden addressed the nation and responded by stating, “Look, there’s no place in America for this kind of violence,” Biden said in a nationally televised statement. “It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign via email for comment.
What’s Next?
The investigation is still ongoing as more details continue to emerge.
This is a developing story and will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.
Update, 7/13/2024 at 9:20 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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