Former President Donald Trump’s campaign confirmed that he is “fine” following a shooting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which resulted in the deaths of the suspected gunman and at least one attendee, according to local authorities.
In a statement, Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung expressed the former president’s gratitude towards law enforcement and first responders for their prompt action. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” Cheung said. The Secret Service also confirmed that Trump is safe.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger stated in a phone interview that the suspected shooter was deceased, and that the attack had claimed the life of at least one rally attendee.
The incident occurred during Trump’s last rally before the Republican National Convention, while he was displaying a chart of border crossing statistics. The first shot prompted Trump to exclaim, “Oh,” as he grabbed his ear. Subsequent shots led him to crouch down. The situation escalated quickly with agents tackling Trump and shielding him, following their training protocol, while others on stage searched for the source of the threat.
Amidst the chaos, screams echoed through the crowd of thousands. As agents secured the area, Trump managed to stand up, his face appearing to have blood on it, and he was seen reaching for his face with his right hand. The crowd cheered as he stood and pumped his fist before his motorcade swiftly departed.
The fairgrounds were declared a crime scene, and police began evacuations shortly after Trump’s departure. President Joe Biden was promptly briefed on the incident. The White House reported that Biden received updates from several high-ranking officials, including Kimberly Cheatle, Director of the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
Donald Trump Jr. shared an image on social media platform X, depicting Trump with a bloody face and a raised fist in front of an American flag, captioned, “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America.”
Support poured in from prominent Republicans. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and Ohio Senator JD Vance, all potential vice-presidential picks for Trump, quickly issued statements expressing their concern. Rubio shared an image of Trump being escorted off stage with blood on his face, accompanied by the caption, “God protected President Trump.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, also addressed the incident on X, stating, “Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.” He confirmed that Pennsylvania state police were present at the rally site.
As the investigation continues, the nation watches closely, united in the hope for safety and peace in the political sphere.
Credit: AP
