TRUMP rally attendees spontaneously pray the Lord’s Prayer together after he survived an assassination attempt in exclusive footage obtained by The US Sun.
The extraordinary moment came after the 78-year-old former President was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday.
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Stunned attendees in the stands just behind the stage where Trump was speaking spontaneously recited the Lord’s Prayer moments after a bullet struck their ear.
Retired stockbroker Mike Costanzo, 77, was among those who witnessed the emotional scene.
Hailing from the same Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park as alleged assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, Mike was sitting just 15 feet behind Trump when he was shot.
He can be seen wearing a red MAGA hat, clenching his fists and shouting “My man” in the now-legendary footage of Trump being escorted off the stage after miraculously escaping with his life.
Read more about the Trump shooting
Mike told The US Sun: “When all the bullets started flying, no one was running, scattering or jumping over other people.
“In fact, they started praying. I believe it’s because people love him.
“I’m still thinking I’m not sure I saw what I saw. “Was it us? I’m still processing it.”
Trump fan Mike attended the rally with his wife Rosemary, also 77, nieces Jodine Downey and Jeanine Wiggins, Jeanine’s husband Chuck and her friend Lori Bliss.
The group was sitting directly under the huge US flag that could be seen in footage of Trump raising his fist at the crowd.
Former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed in the attack, while James Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 57, were seriously injured.
Gunman Crooks, 20, was also killed by a counter-sniper after opening fire from a rooftop about 400 feet away from Trump.
Former new TV presenter Jodine said: “We are lucky to be here because we were right in the line of fire.
“We were thrilled to be in those seats and to be close to the stage.
“We were so excited. Little did we know how much danger we would be in shortly afterwards.
“As soon as President Trump stood up, everyone started applauding and our entire section started praying the Lord’s Prayer.
“It was so moving and I think it was very revealing of how people feel not just about him, but about humanity.
“It was a beautiful moment.”
The Lord’s Prayer or Lord’s Prayer is a central Christian prayer that dates back to the beginning of religion.
According to the Gospels, Jesus Christ himself taught this to his followers during the Sermon on the Mount.
Accepting his party’s nominations, Trump told the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday that he had survived the attempt on his life “by the grace of almighty God.”
He also expressed his admiration that the crowd remained calm despite being attacked.
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The sentiment is echoed by supporters who were in the line of fire that day, who told The US Sun they were convinced Trump was dead until he stood up and urged them to “fight, fight, fight.”
Mike said: “When the shooting started, I jumped on my wife to protect her as much as I could, but when I looked up I saw my president with no shoes on and his head in a mess.
“I thought he had been shot in the head and was dead.
“Then he gets up and comes with that fist and I just wanted to hug him.
“’My man, my man,’ was all I could think to say.
“I just wanted him to know that I love him.
“I would do anything for this guy.
“I just love him, I love his family and everything he stands for.”
Mike explained that the crowd remained calm even when it took them an hour and a half to exit the parking lot.
His wife Rosemary added: “The Trumpsters have been described as MAGA deplorables, but these people should be at a rally.
“They wouldn’t believe how friendly, hopeful, polite and kind everyone is.
“It’s like a rock concert without the drugs.”
Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks?
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, has been identified as the suspected assassin who attempted to kill Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
Who is Thomas Matthew Crooks?
- Thomas Matthew Crooks left few clues about his identity and investigators said he had no social media presence.
- What is known is that Crooks was from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, a small suburb about 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh.
- He lived with his parents, Mary Elizabeth Crooks and Matthew Brian Crooks.
- The Crooks have been licensed professional counselors since 2002, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Licensing System Verification Service.
- Thomas Matthew Crooks attended and graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022.
- In May 2024, Crooks graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County with an associate’s degree in engineering science, the school revealed.
- Crooks previously worked as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
- He was a registered Republican, but made a small $15 donation to a progressive political group in January 2021.
- Crooks had no criminal record in Pennsylvania.
How did Thomas Crooks get the rifle used in the shooting?
- Federal investigators believe the AR-15-style rifle Thomas Crooks used in the July 13 shooting was purchased legally and registered in his father’s name.
- Matthew Brian Crooks purchased the gun at least six months before the Trump rally shooting, according to AP News.
- It is not known how the younger criminals came into possession of the firearm.
- The Crooks family is cooperating with federal investigators.
- Thomas Crooks was also a member of the local shooting club, the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, for at least a year, according to BBC.
What were Thomas Matthew Crooks’ final moments?
- On July 12, federal investigators discovered that Thomas Crooks visited the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club.
- On July 13, the day of Trump’s rally in Butler, Crooks went to a Home Depot and purchased a five-foot ladder that investigators believe he used to climb a roof about 400 feet outside the Secret Service perimeter. .
- That same day, investigators said Crooks bought 50 rounds of ammunition at a gun store and drove his Hyundai Sonata an hour north to Butler.
- The criminals fired at least eight shots at Donald Trump and rally participants at 6:11 pm, less than 10 minutes after the presidential candidate took the stage.
- A Secret Service counter-sniper positioned near the stage where Trump was delivering his remarks returned fire within seconds, killing Crooks.
What was the reason for the shooting?
- The FBI is still working to determine a motive for the shooting.
- The federal agency is viewing the act as domestic terrorism.
- Crooks is believed to have acted alone.
- Federal authorities were able to gain access to Crooks’ cellphone but found no clues as to why, according to the New York Post Office.
- Crooks’ cellphone and laptop were sent to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for further analysis.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
