10:10 Sharpshooter seemed to have noticed the assassins just before their first shots
A video posted by X shows a sniper at the Trump rally at the exact moment the shots were fired. Sniper's are used at such events by the Secret Service to secure the area - which apparently did not go as planned in this case. The sniper seems to be observing something or someone through his sniper scope. He recoils, just before the shots are heard, suggesting that he became aware of the shooter as a threat in that moment. Shortly after, the attacker was shot.
09:23 Participant warned of the shooter before the attackParticipants at Trump's rally in Butler had noticed a man with a rifle on a roof near the venue before the shootings. One of them, Greg Smith, alerted on-site security personnel: "Hey man, there's a guy with a rifle on the roof", he later told the BBC. The response was: "Ha ha, what?", implying that the security forces did not know what was going on. "I thought: Why is Trump still speaking, why didn't they bring him off the stage? ... The next thing I heard were five gunshots."
09:15 Scholz condemns the attackFederal Chancellor Olaf Scholz comments on Trump's attempted assassination on X: "The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable. I wish him a quick recovery. My thoughts are also with the people affected by the attack. Such acts of violence threaten democracy."
08:28 Photographer takes picture of possible projectileDoug Mills, a photographer for the "New York Times", apparently took a picture at the exact moment a bullet narrowly missed Trump. The picture "could very well show the air displacement caused by a bullet", says Michael Harrigan, a retired FBI agent, who spoke to the newspaper. In general, it is possible to photograph a flying bullet, Harrigan added. Mills used a Sony digital camera at the Trump rally, which can take up to 30 pictures per second. The picture was taken with a shutter speed of 1/8000 seconds.
08:00 Alleged shooter registered as a RepublicanThe FBI has identified the alleged shooter as a man named Thomas Matthew Crooks. The 20-year-old, who was killed during the shooting attempt, is from the small town of Bethel Park in the US state of Pennsylvania, an hour south of Butler, where the Trump rally took place. Crooks is registered as a Republican. According to reports he donated 15 dollars to a Democratic donation organization on the day of Biden's inauguration in January 2021.
The "New York Post" notes that Crooks donated at the age of 17. He registered himself as a member of the Republican Party in September 2021, when he turned 18.
07:46 Expert: "Secret Service must answer some questions"Donald Trump stands as a former President and candidate under the protection of the Secret Service. At all campaign events, there are the highest security measures, as Obama's former campaign advisor Julius van de Laar reports. It remains to be worked out how it was possible that a shooter was able to attack, despite these precautions.
07:38 World leaders shocked by attack on TrumpState and government heads worldwide reacted in shock to the attack on former President Trump. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen writes on X, expressing deep shock, wishing Trump a speedy recovery, and expressing her condolences to the innocent victim's family. "Political violence has no place in a democracy," writes von der Leyen. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed similar sentiments. "My thoughts are with former President Trump, the attendees, and all Americans."
The United Nations condemns the attack on Trump. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns this act of political violence in the strongest terms," explains the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson about Antonio Guterres. "He wishes President Trump a speedy recovery." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shares that he is "appalled" by the news of the attack. "Such violence has no justification and no place in the world. Never should violence prevail." Zelenskyy also wishes Trump a speedy recovery.
Biden stated already on Saturday evening (local time) that he was grateful that Trump was safe and doing well. In the USA, "there is no place for this kind of violence," Biden added.
07:21 Open questions to the Secret ServiceFBI Agent Kevin Rojek says at a press conference that it was "surprising" that the protective detail could return fire. In response to a question about security measures, he states that such questions should be answered by the Secret Service. Although the name suggests otherwise, the Secret Service is not a secret service but is (among other things) responsible for the security of US presidents and former US presidents.
"They conduct the initial security assessments and determine where the various security locations should be," Rojek says. "And they are the ones responsible for securing the crime scene." A representative of the Secret Service is not present at the press conference. "Nobody was available," Rojek explains.
07:04 Trump in New Jersey, apparently unharmedA Trump spokesperson posts a video showing Trump leaving an airport in New Jersey without assistance. His injured ear is not visible in the video. The Republicans have already announced that the nominating convention will proceed as planned; the convention takes place from Monday to Thursday in Milwaukee. There, Trump will officially be nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. US President Biden announced that the Democrats would stop all campaign ads as soon as possible.
06:50 Shooter fired from a roof near the rallyAnthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesperson, says the suspect fired "multiple shots towards the stage" and was located "on an elevated position outside the event perimeter." This suggests that a roof near the rally could be meant.
06:39 Shooter is reportedly a 20-year-old from PennsylvaniaThe person who shot Trump is a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania, according to a source familiar with the investigation of the "Washington Post." Officially, the FBI states that they have not yet identified the shooter, but are "close" to doing so. The shooter is dead. According to Pennsylvania police, it is too early to tell if it was a lone gunman. There is also no indication of "any further threat."
06:25 Media: Trump discharged from hospital late SaturdayAccording to a report by news agency Bloomberg, Trump was discharged from the hospital late on a Saturday evening (local time).
06:01 FBI confirms attempted murder against ex-President Trump at rallyFollowing shootings at a campaign event in the US state of Pennsylvania, the FBI has classified the incident as an "attempted murder" against former President Donald Trump. "This is an attempt against our former president Donald Trump," FBI agent Kevin Rojek said in Butler, the location of the rally. Trump was injured at the ear, according to law enforcement reports, and besides the alleged shooter, a bystander was killed and two others were seriously injured.
04:41 Biden calls Trump personally after attackUS President Joe Biden called Trump personally after the attack on his predecessor, the White House confirmed, without disclosing the contents of the conversation. On Sunday, Biden was to be briefed by law enforcement agencies on the status of the investigation, it was further stated.
03:58 Republicans to hold convention despite Trump attackThe US Republicans plan to hold their nomination convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as scheduled this week, despite the attack on their presidential candidate Donald Trump. The party and Trump's campaign team made the announcement in a joint statement. The Republicans are due to gather in Milwaukee from Monday to officially nominate the 78-year-old as their presidential candidate.
03:54 Shooter fired from elevated positionThe shooter in the attack on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired from an elevated position outside the event venue, according to the Secret Service. One person was killed and two others were seriously injured. Initially, there had been reports of a seriously injured person.
02:55 Trump: I was hit by a bullet in the earFormer US President Donald Trump, according to his own statements, was injured in the ear during the attack at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. "I was hit by a bullet that went through the upper part of my right ear," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
00:33 Shots fired at Trump: Secret Service escorts ex-President off stageFormer US President Donald Trump was escorted off the stage by security personnel during a campaign event in Pennsylvania after shots were fired. In images, Trump is seen with a bloody ear and raised fist.
06:36 Biden expresses concern over US Presidency Election 2024 security Following the incident at Trump's rally, President Joe Biden underscores the importance of ensuring security during political events, particularly in the leadup to the US Presidency Election 2024. "We must learn from this incident to strengthen our security measures and prevent such occurrences in the future," he says in a statement.
04:12 Trump's potential 2024 run draws attention to Election Safety The shooting attempt on Donald Trump resurfaces concerns about safety at political events, especially considering his rumored plans for a bid for the US Presidency in 2024. Proponents of heightened security argue that events featuring high-profile figures should be shielded from potential threats to maintain peace and ensure public safety.
