BUTLER, Pa. — Former President Donald Trump was rushed off the stage with blood on the side of his head and his ear after shots were fired just minutes into his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Trump’s campaign said he was safe in the aftermath of the attack. The former president said in a post on Truth Social about two and a half hours later that a bullet “pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
“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 wrote on the social media platform. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”
One spectator from the rally is dead, and a second is in serious condition, according to the Butler County district attorney. The shooter is dead, NBC News confirms.
Trump thanked law enforcement in his online statement and extended condolences to the families of the people killed and injured.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” he wrote.
The shots were fired from outside of the U.S. Secret Service security perimeter for the rally, according to three senior U.S. law enforcement officials.
Trump was about six minutes into his speech when he reached for the side of his face as popping sounds rang out. He then crouched down as Secret Service agents rushed the stage and surrounded him. He was quickly escorted into a vehicle, walking off the stage with agents on all sides.
Trump pumped his fists in the air as he was escorted off of the stage. The crowd cheered as the former president raised his arms.
Reporters on the scene saw smoke and heard what they initially thought were fireworks before everyone ducked and law enforcement encircled Trump.
Screams from the audience rang out as the scene unfolded.
Follow live updates on the Trump rally shooting
A doctor attending the event told NBC News that he saw a man suffer a gunshot wound to the head and helped carry him from the site of the rally. Speaking in a parking lot near the event, a mother and son who were attending the rally told NBC News that they saw people in the crowd who were injured and carried away.
People remained at the scene for 10 to 15 minutes after Trump was taken away, after which they were then told it was an active crime scene and all attendees were escorted out.
The U.S. Secret Service has requested that the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office help with the investigation into the shots fired, according to two senior U.S. law enforcement officials.
The FBI said in a statement that personnel are on the scene, and they will work jointly with the Secret Service.
There is currently no sign that the attack has any link to a foreign actor, according to a U.S. official.
A Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement posted to X that “the former President is safe.”
“This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi posted.
Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung said that the former president “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,” Cheung said. “More details will follow.”
Biden, political world react
President Joe Biden called the attack “sick” and thanked law enforcement during remarks delivered on camera.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” Biden said. “It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening.”
“Everybody must condemn it,” Biden added.
The president also said he hopes to speak to Trump later on Saturday.
When asked by a reporter whether Biden believed that the attack on Trump was an assassination attempt, the president responded that he didn’t “know enough” to say at the time.
“I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts,” Biden said, adding that he wanted to gather all of the facts first.
Credit Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/