Trump, 78, was shot in the ear in Butler County, leaving the Republican presidential candidate injured.
Former President Donald Trump, 78, was injured in the ear in a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Here’s what we know so far:
What happened at the Trump rally and when?
- At around 6:02 pm (10:02 GMT) on Saturday, Trump was on stage, waving to an enthusiastic crowd and beginning his regular rally speech in the summer sun.
- He was discussing an increase in the number of border crossings by undocumented immigrants under President Joe Biden. “This chart is a few months old,” Trump told the crowd, “and if you want to see something really sad, take a look at what happened.”
- It was then that shots rang out, at least five, at around 6:15 pm (22:15 GMT). Trump fell to the ground as several Secret Service agents rushed the stage and surrounded him.
- “Let me get my shoes. Let me get the shoes,” Trump said, as agents lifted him off the ground. He then said, “Wait, wait, wait,” before starting to raise his fist.
- A few minutes later, Trump was lifted to his feet and quickly escorted off the stage to his motorcade, with blood visible in his right ear and running down his cheek.
- He could be seen raising his fists and shouting “Fight!” to the crowd before being sent off.
How did the attack unfold?
- According to the US Secret Service, several shots were fired toward the stage “from an elevated position outside the rally site.” The authorities “neutralized the shooter”, who has now died.
- On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said: “I was hit by a bullet that pierced the top of my right ear.”
- According to an analysis carried out by CNN, Trump was approximately 120 to 150 meters from the attacker.
- A witness told BBC News he saw the attacker climb onto the roof of a low-rise building outside the security perimeter with a rifle and shouted to nearby police officers to warn them of the potential threat.
- Ron Moose, a Trump supporter who was at the rally, described the chaos: “I heard about four gunshots and saw the crowd fall and then Trump ducked too quickly. So the entire Secret Service jumped in and protected him as soon as they could. We’re talking in a second that everyone was protecting him.”
- The FBI classified the shooting as an attempted murder.
- The attack represents the first case in decades in which a current or former president was shot, coming less than four months before the presidential election. It also comes just two days before the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC).
Here is the latest information from our investigation. We are grateful to the Secret Service team and our law enforcement partners for their quick action. Our thoughts are with the families affected by this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/E8FazqtUVZ
-Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) July 14, 2024
Is Trump safe?
- Yes, he is in good condition. According to reports, Trump has left Pennsylvania.
- He landed at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The images show Trump walking down the steps of the aircraft after landing at the airport.
- According to local media reports, he also sent an email to his supporters saying, “THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM DONALD TRUMP,” the brief email said. “I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!”
Where exactly did the shooting take place?
- The incident occurred at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. This is a city in the western part of the state, about 56 km (35 miles) north of Pittsburgh.
- Trump was holding a rally at the Butler Farm Show Grounds. The city has a population of 13,502 inhabitants. It is located in Butler County, where almost 200,000 people live.
- The demographics are predominantly homogeneous; according to the US Census, 95% of the county’s population is white.
Who was the shooter?
- The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, as the “subject involved” in the attempted murder, it said in a statement Sunday.
- According to the Associated Press news agency, authorities said the attacker was not present at the rally.
- He was killed and police recovered an “AR-style rifle” at the scene. It is unclear what his motive was.
Were there other victims?
- The U.S. Secret Service said a male bystander was killed and two other men were seriously injured in the shooting. Their identities were not immediately released.
- Republican U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas told Fox News that his nephew was injured at the rally.
- “He was grazed in the neck. A bullet went through his neck, cut his neck and he was bleeding,” Jackson said.
Will the Republican National Convention still go ahead?
- The first day of the RNC is scheduled for Monday in Milwaukee and is expected to continue.
- Reince Priebus, chairman of the convention committee, said Saturday night that the event would continue as planned, noting that guests had begun arriving in Wisconsin.
- Trump is also expected to be there. “President Trump looks forward to joining all of you in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” according to the statement attributed to Trump campaign senior adviser Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita.
What were the reactions?
- US President Joe Biden was quick to condemn the attack.
- “There is no place in America for this kind of violence,” Biden, who is running against Trump as the presumptive Democratic nominee, said in remarks. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”
I was informed about the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
I’m grateful to know he’s safe and well. I am praying for him and his family and all those who attended the rally as we await more information.
Jill and I are grateful to the Secret…
– President Biden (@POTUS) July 13, 2024
- Trump’s children took to social media to express their shock.
- “This is the fighter America needs!” son Eric Trump wrote above a photo of his father with blood running down his cheek, his fist in the air and a US flag waving in the background as the Secret Service removed him from the stage.
This is the fighter America needs! pic.twitter.com/77xES5kBRO
-Eric Trump (@EricTrump) July 14, 2024
- Donald Trump Jr posted the same photo on X, writing: “He will never stop fighting to save America.”
- “I love you dad, today and always,” daughter Ivanka posted on X, thanking supporters and the Secret Service for their “quick and decisive actions today.”
Thank you for your love and prayers for my father and the other victims of today’s senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania. I am grateful to the Secret Service and all other law enforcement officials for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our…
-Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 14, 2024
- Elon Musk, head of Space X, Tesla and X, said he was endorsing Trump.
I fully support President Trump and hope for his speedy recovery pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF
-Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024
- Global leaders also condemned the attack.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office earlier this month, said he condemned all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and sent his “best wishes” to Trump and his family.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply concerned about the attack on my friend,” while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the shooting “must be strongly condemned by all defenders of democracy and of political dialogue”.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and his wife Sara were “shocked” by the shooting. “We pray for their safety and speedy recovery,” he added.
Follow local and global reactions in our coverage.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
