Expert: 'Trump produced that image directly, instinctively'
Seconds after the shots are fired, Donald Trump, bloodied and with clenched fists, rises from among the Secret-Service agents. Political analyst Thomas Jäger sees here the "Master of political marketing" at work. It is now crucial if Trump can continue spinning his "witch hunt" narrative.
10:10 Sharpshooter seems to have noticed the assassin just before the first shotsA video posted on X shows a sharpshooter at the Trump rally in the exact moment the shots are fired. Sharpshooters are deployed at such events by the Secret Service to secure the surroundings - which apparently did not go well in this case. The sharpshooter seems to be observing something or someone through his telescopic sight. He recoils, just before the shots are heard, suggesting that in that moment, the shooter became aware of the danger. Shortly thereafter, the assassin was shot.
09:23 Participant warned security about the assassin before the attackBefore the shooting at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, participants had noticed a man with a rifle on a roof nearby. One of them, Greg Smith, informed the on-site security personnel: "Hey man, there's a guy with a rifle on the roof", he later told the BBC. Their response: "Ha, what?", suggesting they had not known what was going on. "I thought: Why is Trump still speaking, why didn't they take him off the stage? ... Next, five shots were fired."
09:15 Scholz condemns the attackFederal Chancellor Olaf Scholz comments on the attempted assassination of Trump on X: "The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is abhorrent. I wish him a quick recovery. My thoughts are also with the people who were affected by the attack. Such acts threaten democracy."
08:28 Photographer takes picture of possible projectileDoug Mills, a photographer for the "New York Times", apparently took a photo by chance in the exact moment a bullet narrowly missed Donald Trump. The photo "could very well show the air displacement caused by a projectile", says Michael Harrigan, a retired FBI agent, who spoke to the newspaper. In principle, 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 images per second. The photo 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 Thomas Matthew Crooks. The 20-year-old, who was killed in 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 to a Democratic donation organization on the day of Biden's inauguration in January 2021.
The "New York Post" notes that Crooks was only 17 years old at the time of the donation. He registered as a Republican member in September 2021, when he turned 18.
07:46 Expert: "Secret Service needs to answer some questions"Donald Trump, as a former President and candidate, is under the protection of the Secret Service. There are highest security measures in place at all campaign events, as Obama's former campaign advisor Julius van de Laar reports. It's now necessary to figure out how such an attack on a guard could have occurred.
07:38 World leaders react in shockWorld leaders reacted in shock to the attack on former President Trump. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen writes on X, expressing deep shock and wishing Trump a quick recovery. "Political violence has no place in a democracy", she writes. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expresses his thoughts. "My thoughts are with former President Trump, the participants of the event, and all Americans."
The United Nations also condemns the attack on Trump. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns this act of political violence," explains the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António 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 quick recovery.
On Saturday evening (local time), Biden stated that he was grateful that Trump was safe and doing well. In the US, there is "no place for this kind of violence."
07:21 Open questions to the Secret ServiceFBI Agent Kevin Rojek speaks at a press conference, finding it "surprising" that the guard was able to fire several shots. In response to a question about security measures, he states that such questions must 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 says.
07:04 Trump in New Jersey, apparently unharmedA Trump spokesperson posts a video that shows 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 nomination 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 shared that the Democrats would stop all campaign ads as soon as possible.
06:50 Shooter fired from a roof near the rallyAnthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, states that the alleged shooter fired "multiple shots towards the stage" and was located "on an elevated position outside the event perimeter." This implies that a roof near the rally could be meant.
06:39 Apparent 20-year-old from Pennsylvania opened fire on TrumpThe person who shot at Trump is a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania, according to a source familiar with the investigation to the "Washington Post." The FBI officially stated that they have not identified the shooter yet but are "close" to it. The shooter is dead. According to the Pennsylvania police, it is too early to say if it was a lone gunman. However, there is no indication of "any further threat."
06:25 Media: Trump discharged from hospital againTrump was discharged from the hospital late Saturday evening (local time) according to a report by the news agency Bloomberg.
06:01 FBI confirms attempted murder against ex-President Trump at rallyFollowing the shootings at a campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has classified the incident as an "attempted murder" against former President Donald Trump. "This is an attempt to assassinate our former President Donald Trump," FBI Agent Kevin Rojek said in Butler, the location of the rally. Trump was injured in the ear by the gunshots, according to official reports. A bystander was killed and two others were seriously injured.
04:41 Biden phones Trump after attackUS President Joe Biden personally phoned Trump after the attack, according to the White House, without disclosing the contents of the conversation. On Sunday, Biden will 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 nominating convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week as planned, 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 will gather in Milwaukee starting Monday to officially nominate the 78-year-old Trump as their presidential candidate.
03:54 Shooter fired from elevated positionThe shooter in the attack on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump opened fire from an "elevated position" outside the event venue, according to the Secret Service. One bystander was killed and two others were seriously injured.
02:55 Trump: I was hit by a bullet in my earFormer US President Donald Trump, in his own words, was hit by a bullet in his ear during the attack at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. "I was hit by a bullet in the ear, which pierced the upper part of my right ear," Trump wrote on his self-founded platform Truth Social.
00:33 Shots fired at Trump: Secret Service leads ex-President off stageFormer US President Donald Trump was led off the stage by security personnel during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania after shots were fired. In the images, Trump is seen with a bloody ear and raised fist.
08:00 Supporters rally behind Biden after Trump's attack Following the shooting at Trump's campaign rally, Biden's supporters express their solidarity and condemn the violence. One supporter, Sarah Johnson, says, "After seeing what happened to Joe Biden's predecessor, it's clear that political difference should never lead to violence. We need to support our leaders and respect each other more."
06:39 Biden calls for unity after Trump's attack In response to the shooting at Trump's rally, President Biden calls for unity and condemns the attack. "Political difference should never lead to violence," Biden says in a statement. "I urge all Americans to come together, put aside our differences, and promote peace and unity in our country."
