Shots fired at US campaign event: Trump injured - Shooter and one spectator dead
An incident occurred when Trump was starting his campaign speech in the small town of Butler. After the shots, Secret Service agents brought the ex-President to the ground. For a while, Trump was surrounded by security personnel near his right ear, which was bleeding. "Let me get my shoes", Trump's microphone picked up as the agents helped him.
While Trump was being escorted from the stage towards his vehicle, he raised his fist defiantly amidst the shouts of his supporters. The Secret Service, responsible for the protection of current and former US Presidents, later reported that Trump was safe.
Trump's campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung stated that Trump was fine, the 78-year-old ex-President was to be examined in a local medical facility. Furthermore, it was mentioned that Trump thanked "the security forces and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act".
Later, Trump spoke on his online platform Truth Social. He described that a bullet had "pierced the upper part of my right ear". "It's incredible that such an incident can occur in our country," he added.
A visitor of the campaign event told news agency AFP that he had seen "many people fall to the ground". He also heard "shots, it sounded like something between fireworks and a small-caliber pistol".
The shooter had fired several shots "from an elevated position" outside the gathering place, according to the Secret Service. The shooter was then "neutralized", the agency confirmed media reports about the death of the alleged attacker. His identity was still unclear.
US President Biden called the act "despicable". In the USA, there is "no place for this kind of violence", he said. Earlier, the President had already stated that the USA must "stand together as a nation to condemn this". Regarding Trump, he expressed gratitude that the former President was safe and wished him well. He prayed for Trump, his family, and all attendees and hoped to speak with Trump soon.
Former US President Barack Obama also spoke out on the incident. "There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy", he said. Although it was still unclear what had happened, "we should all be relieved that the former President Trump was not seriously injured, and let's use this moment to recommit ourselves to decency and respect in our politics".
Former Republican US President George W. Bush expressed gratitude that Trump was safe after the "cowardly attack on his life". Democratic Majority Leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, stated on X that he was "disgusted by what happened at the Trump rally" and at the same time "relieved" that the former President was safe. "Political violence has no place in our country", he added.
US Billionaire Elon Musk publicly expressed his support for Trump's presidential campaign after the attack. "I fully support President Trump and hope he recovers quickly", Musk wrote on X, the online service he had taken over in 2022 and which is an important communication platform in the US election campaign.
Multiple government heads reacted shocked. The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on X, his "thoughts and prayers" are with Trump. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed himself "shocked over the apparent attack" on Trump. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau strongly condemned "political violence."
The gathering in Butler was Trump's last campaign event before the Republican Party convention beginning on Monday, where Trump is set to be officially nominated as the Presidential candidate of the party. The shootings could further escalate the existing tensions in the divided country before the Presidential election on November 3.
- Steven Cheung, Trump's campaign spokesperson, assured everyone that the ex-President was fine and was being examined at a local medical facility.
- During the US election campaign event in Butler, several spectators were reported to have fallen to the ground due to the gunshots.
- Joe Biden, the current US President, strongly condemned the incident, stating that there is no place for such violence in the United States of America.
- The shooter fired several shots from an elevated position outside the gathering place, according to the Secret Service, and was later reported to have been neutralized.
- At his online platform, Truth Social, Trump described the incident as "heinous" and expressed gratitude towards the security forces and first responders.
- After the attack, Barack Obama, a former US President, urged for decency and respect in politics, stating that there is no place for political violence in democracy.
- Elon Musk, a US billionaire, publicly expressed his support for Trump's presidential campaign after the attack, hoping for a quick recovery for the ex-President.
