LISTEN TO THE LATEST 11:50 PM NEWS BULLETIN ON SATURDAY’S SHOOTING
Former President Trump is safe after what law enforcement is calling “an assassination attempt.”
Shots were fired during Trump’s outdoor rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, and Trump appeared to be the target while on the stage. Trump said a bullet pierced part of his right ear and dramatic video shows the Secret Service tackling Trump, who has blood on his face. The Secret Service says the shooter is dead, along with one spectator. Two spectators are in critical condition.
They add the shooter fired multiple shots at the stage from an elevated positionTrump’s campaign says a bullet pierced his ear but he is okay. One witness told BBC he saw a man crawling up a roof with a rifle while Trump was speaking and tried to alert law enforcement. A woman told reporters she saw someone covered in blood, sitting next to a person who was “bleeding profusely” and appeared to have been shot. A doctor attending the rally said he counted seven shots in total, and said the crowd was confused and chaotic.
One person attending the event was killed while two others were badly wounded. Police say the shooter is dead.
Trump’s campaign released a joint statement with the Republican National Committee saying next week’s convention is still on schedule, and that Trump looks forward to traveling to Milwaukee to accept the RNC’s official nomination.
President Biden says he’s grateful Donald Trump is safe and doing well after a reported assassination attempt at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania. He said there’s no place in America for political violence and called the incident “sick.”
Biden said he’s praying for him and his family and for all of those at the rally. The president also thanked law enforcement and Secret Service agents for their quick response. He said he’s reached out to Trump by phone and has heard he’s doing okay. The Biden campaign says it is pulling down all of its TV advertising.
Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy. The President is cutting his weekend in Delaware short to return to Washington, D.C. immediately.
Speaker Mike Johnson says the House will investigate the assassination attempt. Johnson says that “The American people deserve to know the truth” and said they’ll have Secret Service and FBI officials appear for a hearing as soon as possible.
Federal investigators are tentatively identifying the alleged shooter as a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania.
Former President Barack Obama released a statement saying “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.” He added that “we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”
Donald Trump’s children are speaking out following a reported assassination attempt at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania. In a post on X, Ivanka Trump said she is continuing to pray for the country and is grateful to the Secret Service and other law enforcement for their “quick and decisive actions today.” The former president says a bullet pierced part of his right ear when shots were fired at the outdoor rally. Eric Trump posted a photo of his father being helped off stage with his fist in the air and said “This is the fighter America needs!” Donald Trump Jr. shared the same image, saying his father will “never stop fighting to save America.”
A congressman who survived an assasination attempt says the incendary rhetoric about Donald Trump must stop. Louisiana Republican Congressman Steve Scalise believes what is being said about Trump is “over the top” and needs to get dialed down. He said its too soon to speculate on the shooter’s motive. In 2017, a gunman walked onto a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, and opened fire on Republican politicians, wounding and four others. The representatives had been practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity.
Comments