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Former president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at his campaign rally on Saturday night, just days before he was set to be officially crowned the Republican Party’s presidential candidate at the RNC. Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet before he ducked behind the stage podium, protected by Secret Service agents. One rally attendee was killed, and two others were seriously injured before the gunman, a registered Republican voter, was shot dead by authorities. Here’s how the attack played out:
The Rally Setting
Throughout Saturday, Trump supporters flocked to Butler, Pennsylvania, a city of 13,000 people, 35 miles from Pittsburgh, for a rally that night. The event, located at Butler Farm Show Grounds, was touted as Trump’s final campaign appearance ahead of the Republican National Convention. Scheduled to begin at 5 pm, Trump didn’t take the stage until 6:03 pm, emerging to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”
The Gunman’s Position
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman, had positioned himself on the roof of a nearby office building belonging to a glass research firm. According to Butler County’s district attorney, Crooks was fewer than 140 meters away from both Trump and the Secret Service snipers stationed on another building behind the former president.
Suspicious Activity Noticed
One Trump supporter, listening from just outside the rally grounds, noticed Crooks “bear crawling” onto the roof prior to the shooting. He attempted to alert Secret Service agents, pointing at Crooks for two to three minutes before shots rang out. “Secret Service is looking at us from the top of the barn, I’m pointing at the roof … and next thing you know, five shots rang out,” he told the BBC.
The Shooting
About 15 minutes into Trump’s speech, as he pointed towards a chart depicting immigration levels, Crooks opened fire. Trump grabbed his right ear as the first three shots were fired before ducking behind the lectern. Secret Service agents quickly shielded him as five more shots were heard. The crowd screamed and ducked for cover, and more security officials rushed to the stage. “I saw half the people around me start crying,” one man told The New York Times. “And I started crying. I couldn’t stop crying … I thought I just saw the president get killed in front of my face.”
The Aftermath
A Secret Service agent shot and killed Crooks, with an agent heard saying “shooter down” on the broadcast feed. Security officials helped Trump to his feet. The 78-year-old former president, his face stained with blood, urged officials to “wait” as they tried to remove him from the stage. He then thrust his fist into the air and shouted “fight” three times, with the crowd chanting “USA! USA!” in response. Trump’s motorcade left the rally site at 6:14 pm, just two minutes after the shooting started.
Casualties and Response
The FBI confirmed that one audience member had died, and two others were critically injured. All three victims were adult men, as confirmed by Pennsylvania State Police. Texas congressman Ronny Jackson mentioned that his nephew had been grazed in the neck by a bullet and was treated at the scene. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed Crooks’ death and revealed that Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, was a registered Republican. Federal campaign finance reports showed he had made a $15 contribution to the Democratic-aligned Progressive Turnout Project in 2021.
Trump’s Reaction
Two hours after the shooting, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through my skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA.” Landing back in New Jersey later that night, Trump posted again the following morning, crediting God for preventing a worse outcome and urging his supporters to “stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.”
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