Former US President Donald Trump was swiftly taken to a hospital following an apparent assassination attempt during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.
The New York Times reported the the Secret Service confirmed that Trump was "safe" after sustaining a gunshot wound to the right ear, while one rally attendee and the suspected shooter were killed.
Trump was escorted off the stage minutes into his speech after shots were fired. In a Truth Social post, he described being “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” adding: “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 realised then what was happening.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote.
President Biden condemned the violence, calling it “sick” and expressing gratitude that Trump had been swiftly evacuated. He emphasised that “there’s no place in America for this kind of violence.”
Biden's campaign paused all communications and television ads out of respect.
The FBI has launched an investigation into the incident, treating it as an assassination attempt.
According to law enforcement officials, the suspected shooter, armed with an AR-15-type semi-automatic rifle, fired multiple
shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally venue. Attendees underwent security screenings, but the shooter managed to evade these measures.
The swift actions of the Secret Service were praised, but the incident has raised concerns about the security at such events.
“The shooting at Mr. Trump’s rally is a consequence of such significant support for political violence in our country,” said Robert Pape, a political scientist at the University of Chicago.
Leaders from both parties condemned the violence. Senator Chuck Schumer stated: “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe.”
Representative Steve Scalise, who was shot in 2017, added, “There is never any place for political violence.”
Despite the attack, Trump’s Republican Convention will proceed as planned in Milwaukee.
Trump’s campaign reaffirmed his commitment to attend and be formally nominated as the Republican presidential candidate.
Ivanka Trump Posting on X thanked followers for their “love and prayers for my father and for the other victims of today’s senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania. I am grateful to the Secret Service and all the other law enforcement officers for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our country. I love you Dad, today and always.”
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