Trump injured in assassination attempt

PENNSYLVANIA

Donald Trump was hit in the ear in an apparent assassination attempt by a gunman at a campaign rally on Saturday, in a chaotic and shocking incident that will fuel fears of instability ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The 78-year-old former president was rushed off stage with blood smeared across his face after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, while the gunman and a bystander were killed and two spectators critically injured.

The Republican candidate raised a defiant fist to the crowd as he was bundled away to safety and said afterward "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."

President Joe Biden, who is set to face Trump in November's deeply polarized election, said the incident was "sick" and added that there was "no place in America for this kind of violence."

"We cannot be like this," Biden said.

As the bangs ran out, Trump, wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cap, grimaced and clutched a hand to his ear, with blood visible on his ear and cheek.

He fell to the floor as Secret Service agents swarmed onto the podium, surrounding him and escorting him roughly off the stage to a nearby vehicle.

"It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country," Trump said on his TruthSocial network within hours, in remarks sure to stoke political tensions already engulfing the United States.

'Much bleeding' 

"I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin," Trump said.

"Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening."

The U.S. Secret Service said in a statement that the suspected shooter "fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally" before being "neutralized" by agents.

It said Trump was "safe and being evaluated" while confirming the death of a spectator while two others were critically injured.

The shooter has not yet been identified.

Trump said in his statement that "I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person of the rally who was killed."

With the attack sending shock waves around the world, Biden said that he hoped to speak to Trump soon.

The shooting happened shortly after Trump took the stage at his final campaign rally before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.

Signaling the political stakes at play, possible Trump vice presidential pick J.D. Vance quickly blamed Biden's "rhetoric" for the shooting.

Screams and panic 

The rally descended into panic after shots were heard and screams and shouts rang out.

"Let me get my shoes," Trump was heard saying on microphone, as security agents helped him back to his feet.

He turned back to the crowd and repeatedly raised his fist, as well as mouthing words that weren't immediately discernable, in what is set to become an iconic image.

Agents bundled the tycoon into an SUV, as he once more raised his fist to the crowd.

"We saw a lot of people go down, looking confused. I heard the shots," said John Yeykal from Franklin, Pennsylvania, who was attending his first Trump rally.

FBI identifies shooter

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the suspected shooter in former U.S. President Donald Trump's assassination attempt.

Crooks, 20, is from Pennsylvania, where the former president was hit during his rally in Butler township.

"The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania," the FBI said in a statement.

It reiterated that an active and ongoing investigation is underway, and appealed to anyone with information that may assist with the investigation to contact the bureau.

The initial moments of the shooting began with gunshots being heard. Moments later, Trump was seen raising his hand to the right side of his head and had a bloodied right ear as he was being whisked from the stage, footage showed.

Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social that "it is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."

Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung said the former president “is fine” after the shooting.

"President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility," he said in a statement.

The Secret Service said the shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position from outside the venue. In addition to the shooter, one spectator is dead and two others were critically injured. The shooter reportedly used an AR-15-style rifle.

U.S. President Joe Biden said, "There’s no place in America for this kind of violence," at a news conference in the state of Delaware. "It’s sick, it’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country.”

"Everybody must condemn" the shooting, Biden said, adding that "the idea that there’s political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of, is just not appropriate."

Former president Barack Obama said there was "absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy."

Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell added: "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."

Billionaire Elon Musk reacted by quickly endorsing Trump.

"I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote on X, which he owns along with car manufacturer Tesla, as he shared a video of Trump pumping his fist while being escorted away.

The United States has a history of political violence, and presidents, former presidents and candidates have tight security.

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 while riding in his motorcade, and his brother Bobby Kennedy was shot dead in 1968. President Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in 1981.