Donald Trump rally incident investigated as attempted murder

Donald Trump was apparently the target of an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, law enforcement officials said. The former president, his ear covered in blood from what he called a gunshot wound, was quickly removed by Secret Service agents and his campaign announced that he is “doing fine.”

A local prosecutor said the suspected shooter and at least one other person attending the event were killed. The Secret Service said two spectators were seriously injured.

In a post on his social media site Truth Social about two and a half hours after the attack, Trump detailed that a bullet “pierced the top of my right ear.”

“I knew immediately something was wrong because I heard a whizzing sound, gunshots and immediately felt the bullet go through the skin,” she said in the post. “There was a lot of bleeding and then I realized what was happening.”

The attack, carried out by an assailant who law enforcement officials said was later shot dead by the Secret Service, was the first attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It comes amid a deeply polarized political atmosphere, just four months before the presidential election and days before Trump is set to be officially named the Republican nominee at the party’s convention.

Trump aides said Saturday night that the convention will not be canceled and Trump “looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee.”

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their swift response during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is doing well and is being evaluated at a local medical facility. More details will be provided at a later date.”

The Secret Service said the suspected gunman fired from “an elevated position outside the campaign rally site.” Trump is “safe and being evaluated,” the agency added.

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence,” said President Joe Biden, who is running against Trump as the presumptive Democratic nominee. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the gunman was not present at the rally and was killed by Secret Service agents.

Officials said the attacker was confronted by members of the U.S. Secret Service’s counterstrike team. The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the president and leading candidates and is tasked with confronting any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the person at the protective facility.

Authorities recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a third person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

It remains unclear whether Trump was hit by gunfire or injured when officers wrestled him to the ground.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department oversees the Secret Service, said officials were engaged with the Biden and Trump campaigns and “taking every possible step to ensure their safety.”

A CAMPAIGN EVENT INTERRUPTED BY GUNSHOTS

Trump was displaying a chart with numbers on border crossings at his campaign rally — his last before the Republican National Convention begins Monday — when suspected gunfire began shortly after 6:10 p.m.

Two minutes passed from the moment of the first shot before Trump was placed into a waiting SUV.

After the first blast, Trump said, “Oh,” and put his hand to his right ear as people in the stands behind him looked shocked. Two more blasts followed quickly, and he ducked down.

Someone near the microphone at Trump’s lectern was heard saying, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as officers guarded the former president. They positioned themselves over him to shield him with their bodies, as is their training protocol, while other officers took up positions on the stage to spot the alleged attacker.

Screams rang out from the crowd of thousands. One woman’s scream stood out from the chaos. Then voices repeatedly said “attacker down” before someone asked if it was safe to move. Then, someone ordered, “We need to move.”

Trump could be heard on the video saying at least twice: “Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes,” and another voice was heard saying: “I’ve got him, sir.”

Trump stood up moments later and could be seen placing his right hand on his neck and there appeared to be blood on his face. He then raised his fist in the air and appeared to utter the word “fight” twice to his crowd of supporters, prompting loud applause and then chants of “USA. USA. USA.”

The crowd cheered as Trump stood up and raised his fist.

His motorcade left the scene moments later. Video shows Trump turning to the crowd and raising a fist just before he was loaded into a vehicle.

Witnesses heard multiple gunshots and ducked for cover

WITNESSES HEARD SEVERAL SHOTS AND DROWNED FOR COVER

Journalists covering the event heard five or six shots and many ducked for cover, hiding under tables.

After the first two or three explosions, people in the crowd seemed surprised but not frightened. An AP reporter at the scene reported that at first the noise sounded like firecrackers or perhaps a car.

But then there were more shots. Panic gripped the crowd as they realized what was happening. Shouts of “get down!” rang out from the crowd.

When it became clear that the situation was under control and Trump would not be returning, attendees began to leave the venue. One man in an electric wheelchair was trapped on the field when his chair’s battery died. Others tried to help him move.

Police soon asked those remaining to leave the scene, and Secret Service agents told reporters, “You need to leave. This is a crime scene.”

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, told Politico it looked like someone behind him had been shot.

“All of a sudden, gunshots started to ring out, someone behind me appears to have been shot,” McCormick said. “There’s a lot of blood, and then the Secret Service pounced on President Trump.”

President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident, according to the White House. He received an update from Kimberly Cheatle, director of the U.S. Secretarial Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and White House national security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., posted an X-rated photo of Trump, fist raised and bloodied face in front of an American flag, with the words: “He will never stop fighting to save America.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X that he was praying for Trump.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and that Pennsylvania State Police were present at the event site.

“Violence directed against any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.