Pennsylvania, United States— A shooting at a rally for former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, is being investigated as an attempted assassination, law enforcement officials have confirmed.
The tragic event, which took place at the fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday (13 July), has left the shooter and an attendee dead, with two others critically injured.
Donald Trump’s campaign has stated that he is “fine” after being swiftly removed from the stage by Secret Service agents. He is currently being checked out at a local medical facility.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN that, in addition to the attendee who was killed, another attendee is in serious condition at a local hospital. “The shooter is dead,” Goldinger confirmed.
He noted that the shooter was positioned outside the rally grounds but did not provide further details on the exact location or how the shooter accessed the area. “Quite frankly, I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds, and I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out — how he got there,” Goldinger said.
The rally began at 6:02 pm on Saturday, with Trump taking the stage to the strains of “God Bless the U.S.A.” and addressing the crowd under a scorching midsummer sun.
Moments later, while pointing to a projection of a chart showing a spike in illegal border crossings under President Joe Biden, shots rang out.
Trump clutched his ear as Secret Service agents rushed toward him, prompting him to drop to the ground. The crowd, packed into the field in front of him, followed suit, dropping down in unison as silence fell over the area, interrupted only by occasional screams.
Trump later posted on his Truth Social site, describing the incident: “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. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” He reported that the bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear.
At a press conference, US President Joe Biden stated that he is waiting for additional information before formally calling the attack an attempted assassination. “I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts,” he told reporters, pledging to provide updates as more information becomes available.
In response to the shooting, the Biden campaign has paused all messaging to supporters and is working to pull down all of its television ads.
The FBI will lead the investigation into the attempted assassination, collaborating with the Secret Service, local, and state law enforcement. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Justice Department’s National Security Division are also involved in the investigation. Law enforcement officials recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a person familiar with the matter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has pledged a thorough investigation, stating, “The American people deserve to know the truth.” He announced that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, along with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, will be called to testify before congressional committees as soon as possible.