Former President Trump’s rally on Saturday abruptly ended after gunshots rang out while he was speaking in Butler, Pa., leaving the suspected shooter and one attendee dead and two others seriously injured, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
Less than 10 minutes into his speech as Trump spoke about immigration, gunshots rang out. Trump reached for his right ear and dropped from the lectern.
Secret Service agents swarmed on top of him on the ground immediately amid audible screams from the crowd. Agents could be heard yelling that the shooter was down before lifting Trump up and leading him off stage shortly after while surrounding his entire body until he reached his vehicle.
Trump pumped his fists at the crowd gathered in an outdoor field and appeared to mouth “fight” while being taken away and climbing into an SUV.
The crowd chanted “USA!” as he stepped off the stage.
In a statement, Trump said his right ear was pierced with a bullet and recalled hearing “whizzing sounds, shots” as the incident was unfolding.
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”
The Secret Service said in a statement the shooting occurred around 6:15 p.m. and that the shooter had been in an “elevated position outside of the rally venue.” The shooter was quickly “neutralized,” the agency said.
In a statement, Trump’s campaign said he was being checked at a medical facility.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday evening, President Biden said he had tried to contact Trump and condemned the violence.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” Biden said. “It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening.”
The shooting occurred just days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday. There is not indication yet the convention would be impacted by Trump’s rally shooting. He is expected to address the convention once he accepts the Republican nomination.
The former president was visiting the battleground state of Pennsylvania, where he was slated to deliver remarks at Butler Farm Show Inc., situated a less than hours-drive north of Pittsburgh.
Just minutes into the speech, Trump asked his campaign to display a chart regarding immigration levels, asking the crowd if it was OK to go off teleprompter.
“So that arrow is the lowest amount of illegal immigration ever in recorded history into our country, and then — and then the worst president in the history of our country took over,” Trump said as he looked over at the projected chart.
“And look what happened to our country – probably 20 million people,” he continued.
“And you know, that’s a little bit old, that chart. That chart’s a couple of months old. And if you want to really see something this sad, take a look at what happened,” he added before shots rang out.
Trump then grabbed his ear before voices shouted “Get down! Get down! Get down!”, followed by screams from the crowd. Secret Service agents raised him up, surrounding him, roughly a minute after Trump had taken cover. Trump could be heard in footage saying “let me get my shoes.”
“I have been told it is chaos,” Richard Goldinger, the Butler County District Attorney, told CNN.
“I mean, you just wouldn’t even think it would happen, especially in – in where I live, in Butler County. You would not expect this,” he added.
Democrats and Republicans, in a rare moment of unity, both immediately condemned the violence and offered prayers and well wishes for Trump.
“Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics. We appreciate the swift work of the Secret Service and other law enforcement,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
The calls came from even some of Trump’s harshest critics.
“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe,” wrote Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY.). “Political violence has no place in our country.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) also wrote in a post on X that he had been briefed on the incident.
“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he wrote. “I have been briefed on the situation. @PAStatePolice are on the scene in Butler County and working with our federal and local.”
Updated 9:26 p.m.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
