United States of America - Attack on Trump in US campaign - Alleged assailant dead
After the attack on the republican US Presidential candidate Donald Trump in the state of Pennsylvania, the alleged shooter, according to US media, has been reported dead. This was reported by the Associated Press and CNN, citing the local district attorney. A participant in the campaign rally was also reportedly killed. Trump was taken into safety after the incident. A spokesperson stated that he is "fine," and will be investigated.
On video recordings of the event in the city of Butler, explosive sounds could be heard. Trump covered his ear and then ducked away. Security personnel rushed onto the stage and shielded him. Upright and supported by Secret Service agents, he then left the stage. He raised his fist in the air. It looked like Trump had blood on his ear. The Republican had just begun his speech in Butler when the incident occurred.
Panic in the audience
An eyewitness told US broadcaster CBS, he heard noises that he initially took for fireworks. Then someone shouted that a person had been shot. The eyewitness, who was wearing an apparently bloodstained T-shirt, said he was a emergency medical technician and had tried to render aid. The person was severely injured. Another eyewitness told the BBC, he had seen a man with a rifle on a roof.
In the audience, panic broke out after the incident. People screamed. Trump supporters were evacuated after the incident. The area around the stage was cordoned off with yellow tape and secured by heavily armed response teams.
Attack in the Campaign
Trump is running for the Presidency for the Republicans in November. On Monday, the Republican Party convention is scheduled to begin in Milwaukee, where the 78-year-old is expected to be officially nominated as the candidate of his party for the election.
US President Joe Biden was informed of the attack on Trump. "I'm relieved to hear that he's safe and doing well," read a statement. "I pray for him and his family, and for all those who were at the rally, as we wait for more information." This kind of violence has no place in America. Biden planned to speak before cameras in the evening (local time) to address the attack.
Politicians condemn violence
Numerous high-ranking representatives of both parties condemned the attack. The Republican leader of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, wrote on the platform X, "I pray for Trump." The Democratic minority leader of the Parliamentary Chamber, Hakeem Jeffries, expressed himself similarly on X. "America is a democracy," he wrote there. "Political violence in any form is never acceptable." Also, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, shared on X that he was shocked by the incident and relieved that Trump was okay. "Political violence has no place in our country."
In the USA, the political atmosphere has been heated for years. The US Justice Department lamented at the beginning of the year an "alarming increase in threats" against public officials and democratic institutions in the country. The presidential election on November 5th is the first since the dramatic disturbances around the 2020 election, which ended in an unprecedented violent outburst. At that time, Trump refused to accept his election loss against Biden and stirred up his supporters for months with claims of electoral fraud. Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, the American parliament and the heart of US democracy, violently on January 6, 2021. Several people lost their lives during this unprecedented attack.
Violence against high-ranking politicians has occurred in the USA several times, even against presidents. In 1865, US President Abraham Lincoln was shot in the theatre lobby in the US capital Washington while watching a comedy. US President John F. Kennedy was shot at on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. When President Ronald Reagan was shot in Washington in 1981, his bodyguard threw himself protectively over him.
- The incident at the campaign rally in Pennsylvania has once again brought the issue of criminality in US political campaigns into focus.
- CBS reported that Joe Biden, the current US President, expressed his concern over the attack and wished for Trump's quick recovery.
- The US Election 2024 is approaching, and events like these highlight the importance of maintaining democracy and preventing violence during political campaigns.
- The Republicans strongly condemned the attack, with their spokesperson stating that such acts have no place in the United States of America.
- CNN highlighted the ongoing investigation into the incident, emphasizing the need to ensure the safety and security of all political candidates during campaign rallies.
- The BBC reported that similar incidents have occurred in the past, such as the attack on US President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
- The BBC also mentioned the violence that erupted at the US Capitol during the 2020 presidential election, which resulted in several deaths and damages.
- The incident in Pennsylvania has prompted calls for increased security measures at political rallies across the country, with many parties urging their supporters to maintain peace and unity.
- The First Aid provided to the injured participants during the attack was commendable, as reported by various US-Media outlets, including CBS and CNN.
- Despite the inherent risks, both Democratic and Republican candidates continue to engage in campaign activities, underscoring their commitment to serving the American people and upholding the democratic process.
