President Biden condemned the apparent shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania and said he was “grateful” that his political rival was safe.
“I am grateful to know he is safe and well,” Biden said in a statement shortly after being briefed on the incident. “I am praying for him and his family and all those who were at the rally as we await more information.
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety,” Biden added. “There is no place for this type of violence in America. We must come together as a nation to condemn it.”
Some Biden critics have complained about the length of time it took the president to publicly weigh in on the Trump rally shooting, noting that former President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush made statements before Biden.
Trump was only on stage for a short time at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, before apparent gunshots rang out and Secret Service agents stormed the stage. Trump’s ear was bloody and some blood ran down his face.
The former president fired the first shot toward the crowd while being escorted by authorities.
The Trump campaign said in a statement that the former president “is doing well and is being examined at a local medical center. More details to come.”
The alleged shooter is dead and a rally attendee was killed, the Butler County district attorney told The Associated Press.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
