Donald Trump’s political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania turned into a scene of chaos and horror as a gunshot was fired leaving the former president injured and spectators in shock. Trump recounted hearing a “whizzing sound” followed by the sensation of a “bullet ripping through skin,” underscoring the sudden violence that gripped the event. The assailant, a male attacker armed with a rifle, was swiftly neutralized by a member of the Secret Service. Tragically, the attacker’s actions resulted in the death of one rally attendee, while two others were left critically wounded, as reported by the Secret Service.
An eyewitnesses described the harrowing scene where he said that a man was spotted crawling on a nearby roof with a rifle, moments before gunfire erupted, the BBC report said. Video footage captured the chilling moment when Trump, a prominent figure in the Republican presidential race, fell to the ground upon being hit, only to rise moments later with blood visible on his face. The incident has sent shockwaves through the political landscape.
Multiple world leaders condemned the attack on Trump today. "Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack," British PM Kier Starmer said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the shooting as "concerning and confronting," while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed feeling "sickened" by the incident.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that Trump had departed the Butler area immediately after gunshot was fired at a rally earlier in the day. Shapiro stated in a post on X that Trump left "under the protection of the US Secret Service and with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police."
(Image Credit: AP)
(Image Credit: AP)
Tech billionaire Elon Musk fully endorsed Donald Trump after the Republican presidential candidate was swiftly escorted from the stage of a rally in Pennsylvania following an apparent shooting. Musk took to X and shared a video of Trump pumping his fist as he was led away by Secret Service officials, stating, "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery." Musk then put out another tweet mocking the 27th US Secret Service Director, where he said, "So before being put in charge of protecting the PRESIDENT, she was guarding bags of Cheetos …"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern on Sunday regarding the attack on former US President Donald Trump, emphasizing that violence has no place in politics or democracies. "Deeply concerned by the attack on my friend, former President Donald Trump. Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him speedy recovery," Modi said on X. Trump's campaign reported that he was "in good condition" following an assassination attempt at his election rally in Pennsylvania.
House Speaker Mike Johnson pledged to initiate a comprehensive inquiry into the shooting incident in a statement issued on Saturday. "The American people deserve transparency and clarity. We will summon Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other relevant officials from DHS and the FBI to testify before our committees without delay," Johnson said.
While four former US presidents have been assassinated, there have been assassination attempts on other US presidents, including the latest shooting at former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump. Assassination attempts have been made on Gerald Ford (38th president), Ronald Reagan (40th president), and George W Bush (43rd president).
While the shooting at Donald Trump is being investigated as a suspected assassination attempt, the US has seen four former presidents die by assassination. The 16th president, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford Theatre in Washington on 14 April 1865. He was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth, who was found and killed a few days later.
The 20th president James Garfield was the second US president to be assassinated on July 2, 1881. He was also shot at a train station, six months into his term.
The 25th president, William McKinley, was shot at in Buffalo, New York at point blank range during a speech. He survived for a few days and then died on 14 September 1901.
Most famously, the 35th president of the US, John F Kennedy, was shot and killed on 22 November 1963 at a rally in Dallas. Kennedy was travelling in an open-car cavalcade. He was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald with a sniper's rifle from a nearby building.
According to his campaign, Donald Trump will attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week as scheduled. There has been no change of plans yet. The convention marks the official nomination of Trump as the Republican Party's presidential candidate.
Allegheny General Hospital has said that two individuals who were injured at the Trump rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania today are currently in critical condition.
The FBI has said that it will take the lead in investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. They will collaborate closely with the Secret Service, as well as local and state law enforcement agencies, BBC repot said. Attorney General Merrick Garland has confirmed that the ATF, the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Justice Department’s national security division are also actively involved in the investigation.
During a televised statement, Biden emphasized that "everyone must condemn" the attack, while the White House confirmed that Biden had a phone conversation with Trump. The Biden campaign additionally announced a temporary halt to all communications with supporters and is swiftly removing its television advertisements.
Trump had just begun his speech when gunfire disrupted the event. He instinctively grasped his right ear with his hand, then lowered it to inspect the situation, eventually kneeling behind the podium. Secret Service agents swiftly moved in, shielding him from further danger. Emerging a minute later, his iconic red "Make America Great Again" hat displaced, Trump was heard calmly saying "wait, wait" before being guided into a waiting vehicle by the agents.
Here's a visual representation of the location of Trump's rally and the location of the shooter. The proximity is clearly visible here:
Image Credit : Google Maps
Following the attack on Trump in Pennsylvania rally, President Biden is returning to Washington from Delaware ahead of schedule, an AP report said.
Two officials, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press due to the ongoing investigation, disclosed that the shooter, who was not a rally attendee, was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service agents. According to a source cited by the AP, law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene.
A White House official has said that President Joe Biden reached out to Donald Trump, following the former president's injury during the shooting at a campaign rally earlier today, BBC reported. Additionally, President Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy, as announced by the White House.
Trump expressed his gratitude to the US Secret Service on the social media platform Truth Social. He thanked them for their swift action in responding to the shooting incident at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
US Presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot at late Saturday evening, at an election rally at Butler Farm Show, near Pittsburg, US. The apparent gunshot hit Trump in the right ear and blood was seen trickling down his face. He was immediately whisked off stage and taken to the hospital. According to BBC sources, he is safe now and has already left the hospital.