Former President Donald Trump was attending a rally in Pennsylvania to prepare for the upcoming election when shots rang out.
Only minutes into the rally, a loud popping noise was heard, startling Trump and causing him to grab his ear. The Secret Service rushed the stage and shielded the former president with their bodies.
As the Secret Service was helping him off stage, Trump broke slightly free of the human shield and showed his fist to the audience, a signal that he was okay and had not been gravely hurt.
Despite the signal that he was okay, Trump appeared to have blood dripping around his right ear. It is unclear if he was shot in the ear or in the head, but a Trump spokesperson, Steven Cheung, addressed the situation.
“He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility,” Cheung commented and said that more details will be provided soon.
The White House has come forward that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation. An official statement from Biden is posted on the White House website.
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” Biden said.
Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, said in a statement, “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics. We appreciate the swift work of the Secret Service and other law enforcement.”
Representative Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana and the House majority leader, says he is “praying for President Donald Trump. There is never any place for political violence.”
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, in a statement says, “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country.”
The suspect who is believed to be the shooter was found dead along with an audience member. Another audience member is in critical condition.
The shooter has since been identified as twenty-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a PA native. Crooks was using an AR-15 rifle for his assassination attempt and his car was found with several explosive devices inside.
State records show that Crooks was a registered Republican though he donated to liberal campaign group ActBlue in 2021. Investigators have not found any social media posts from Crooks that warned of his assassination plans.
Note: This article was part of The Rearview’s initial breaking news coverage. Subsequent updates were posted on our social media accounts @therearview.
