Former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Saturday during a Pennsylvania rally, just days before he was set to accept the Republican nomination for a third term. The incident caused widespread panic as gunfire erupted, leaving Trump bloodied with a gunshot wound to his ear. Surrounded by Secret Service agents, he was quickly escorted to safety in his SUV, defiantly pumping his fist despite the chaos.
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| Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES |
Trump's campaign reassured the public that the presumptive GOP nominee was recovering well after the shooting, which had grazed the upper part of his right ear.
"I immediately sensed something was wrong when I heard shots and a whizzing sound, feeling the bullet tear through my skin. There was significant bleeding," he posted on his social media platform.
Authorities reported that at least one attendee was killed and two spectators were critically injured. The Secret Service confirmed they had neutralized the suspected shooter, who had fired from an elevated position outside the rally venue, a farm show in Butler, Pennsylvania, ensuring Trump’s safety.
During a press conference late Saturday, the FBI stated that they were not yet ready to release the shooter’s identity and had not determined a motive for the assassination attempt.
This attack marked the most severe attempt on a president or presidential candidate's life since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It has heightened concerns about political violence in a deeply divided U.S., less than four months before the presidential election. The incident may influence the atmosphere and security measures at the Republican National Convention, scheduled to begin on Monday in Milwaukee.
Trump’s campaign announced that the convention would proceed as planned.
President Joe Biden, who is running against Trump, was briefed on the incident and spoke with Trump several hours after the shooting, according to the White House.
"In public remarks, the president condemned the violence, stating unequivocally, 'There’s no place in America for this type of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick.'"
Biden decided to cut short his weekend at his beach home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and return to Washington early.
Many Republicans swiftly attributed the violence to Biden and his allies, arguing that continuous attacks portraying Trump as a threat to democracy had fostered a toxic environment. They specifically highlighted Biden's comment to donors on July 8, where he remarked, "it’s time to put Trump in the bullseye."
In the days ahead, attention will likely focus on the shooter and any security failures. According to two officials who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press, the shooter was not a rally attendee and was neutralized by U.S. Secret Service agents.
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| Secret Service agents swarmed around former President Donald J. Trump after shots were fired during a rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday.Eric Lee/The New York Times |
The officials revealed that the shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team, a heavily armed tactical unit tasked with confronting active threats while other agents secure and evacuate the protected individual.
Law enforcement reportedly recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, as confirmed by a third anonymous source familiar with the investigation.
An AP analysis of multiple videos, photos, and satellite imagery from the rally site indicates that the shooter managed to approach remarkably close to the stage where Trump was speaking. A video verified by the AP shows a person in gray camouflage lying motionless on the roof of a building at AGR International Inc., a manufacturing plant near the Butler Farm Show grounds where the rally took place.
The roof location was less than 150 meters (164 yards) from Trump's speaking position, a distance within the range where a proficient marksman could effectively target a human-sized object. To qualify with the M-16 rifle, U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette at this distance. The AR-15, similar to the rifle used by the shooter at the rally, is the civilian semi-automatic version of the military M-16.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department oversees the Secret Service, stated that officials were coordinating with the Biden and Trump campaigns and "taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security."
A Rally Disrupted by Gunfire
Trump was showcasing a chart of border crossing numbers when the apparent shots were fired shortly after 6:10 p.m. Within two minutes of the first shot, Trump was secured in a waiting SUV.
As Trump spoke, a popping sound was heard, prompting the former president to raise his right hand to his right ear, while those in the stands behind him appeared shocked.
Upon hearing the first pop, Trump exclaimed, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear. He crouched down as two more pops were heard, followed by additional shots.
Near the microphone at Trump’s lectern, someone could be heard urgently saying, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” Agents then tackled the former president, shielding him with their bodies per their training protocol. Other agents took positions on stage to locate the threat.
The crowd of several thousand people erupted in screams, with one woman's scream louder than the rest. Afterward, voices repeatedly said, “shooter’s down,” before someone inquired, “are we good to move?” and “are we clear?” Subsequently, an order was given, “Let’s move.”
In the video, Trump could be heard insisting, “Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes,” with another voice responding, “I’ve got you sir.”
Moments later, Trump stood up, reaching his right hand toward his face, which appeared to have blood on it. He then pumped his fist in the air and seemed to mouth the word “Fight” twice to his supporters, who responded with loud cheers and chants of “USA. USA. USA.”
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist again. His motorcade departed the venue shortly after. Video footage showed Trump turning back to the crowd and raising a fist just before being placed into a vehicle.
Witnesses were startled by the sound of numerous gunshots and scrambled for cover
"Witnesses described a scene of chaos and fear as gunfire erupted during the rally. Dave McCormick, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, who was seated next to Trump on stage, recalled, 'Everybody went to their knees or their prone position, because we all knew, everyone becoming aware of the fact this was gunfire.'
McCormick recounted seeing Trump raise his fist, but when he glanced over his shoulder, he noticed someone in the bleachers behind the stage had been struck.
First responders eventually managed to extract the injured individual from the crowded venue to provide medical assistance, according to McCormick.
Reporters covering the event heard five or six gunshots and took cover, some hiding under tables. Initially, the crowd appeared startled but not panicked after the initial shots. An AP reporter present described the noise as resembling firecrackers at first, or possibly a car backfiring.
Once it became evident that the situation was under control and Trump would not be returning to the stage, attendees began to leave. One man in an electric wheelchair became stranded on the field when his chair's battery died, prompting others to assist him.
Police instructed remaining individuals to evacuate the venue, while Secret Service agents directed reporters to leave immediately, declaring it a live crime scene.
Two firefighters from Steubenville, Ohio, who were present at the rally, recounted assisting injured individuals and hearing bullets strike broadcast speakers.
Chris Takach reported, 'The bullets rattled around the grandstand, one hit the speaker tower and then chaos broke. We hit the ground and then the police converged into the grandstands.'
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| U.S. Secret Service agents surround Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday.Evan Vucci / AP |
Dave Sullivan added, 'The first thing I heard is a couple of cracks.' He witnessed a speaker being hit and bullets striking around them, prompting them to take cover.
Sullivan and Takach aided two potentially injured persons in the grandstand area, clearing a path to safety.
Reflecting on the incident, Sullivan somberly remarked, 'Just a sad day for America.'
Describing the sequence of events, Sullivan noted, 'After we heard the shots got fired, then the hydraulic line was spraying all around, you could see the hydraulic fluid coming out of it. And then the speaker tower started to fall down.' He added, 'Then we heard another shot that, you could hear, you knew something was, it was bullets. It wasn’t firecrackers.'"
America rattled by renewed political violence
The dangers of campaigning have been underscored by historical tragedies, such as the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 and the shooting of George Wallace in 1972, incidents that prompted enhanced security measures for candidates. This trend continued with heightened protection for figures like Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008, reflecting ongoing threats to political leaders.
Since the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, presidents have received even more extensive security measures. Trump's situation is unique as both a former president and a current candidate.
President Biden was briefed on the incident and spoke with Trump hours later, according to the White House. He received updates from Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
Mayorkas, overseeing the Secret Service, affirmed that officials were actively coordinating with the Biden and Trump campaigns to ensure their safety.
Donald Trump Jr. shared a poignant photo on X showing Trump with a raised fist and a bloodied face in front of an American flag, captioned: “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America.”
Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, and Senator JD Vance of Ohio, all under consideration for Trump’s vice presidential shortlist, swiftly expressed concern for the former president. Rubio shared an image of Trump being escorted off stage with his fist raised and a visible streak of blood, captioned with words affirming divine protection.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, condemned the violence in a statement on X, noting his briefing on the incident and the presence of state police at the rally site.
“Violence targeting any political party or leader is utterly unacceptable,” Shapiro asserted. “It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”
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