Eyewitness accounts reveal a traumatic incident during an assassination attempt on former President Trump, highlighting a significant security lapse.
During a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump sustained injuries from a shooting incident on Saturday. The Secret Service quickly neutralized the suspected shooter, with additional casualties reported among the crowd.
According to Time magazine, the incident occurred around 6:15 p.m. as Trump was delivering his speech. Sudden loud pops triggered chaos among the attendees, leading Trump to clutch his right ear and drop to the ground. Secret Service agents swiftly shielded him and escorted him to safety. Subsequent photos revealed Trump with a bloodied face and an injury to his right ear.
The suspected shooter fired multiple shots from an elevated position outside the rally venue, causing mayhem below. One attendee was killed, and two others were critically injured, further adding to the tragic scene.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that an agent had neutralized the shooter. Trump later shared on Truth Social that a bullet had pierced the upper part of his right ear. He expressed his immediate reaction by recounting the sound of the shot and the realization of his injury.
Among the attendees, Scott Sosso and his son Luka were in the bleachers when the shots rang out. Sosso described the initial moments of confusion and panic, with everyone in their section getting down upon realizing what was happening.
Darrin Mohney, another attendee, compared the sound of the gunfire to fireworks, noting that everyone hit the deck as the shots continued. Video footage later showed officers removing a body from the scene.
James Sweetland, a retired emergency room physician, performed CPR on a man shot in the head, describing the dire situation and efforts to save the victim. He noted the critical state of the injured man and the absence of a pulse.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by Secret Service and Homeland Security officials. Biden condemned the violence in strong terms, emphasizing the need for national unity and denouncing such acts in the strongest possible terms.
Former President George W. Bush expressed gratitude that Trump was safe, calling the attack cowardly. Many on the scene voiced their disbelief and outrage over what they saw as a security failure.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer condemned the incident as an "assassination attempt" and sought a briefing from the Secret Service. Republican Senator J.D. Vance attributed the violence to the Biden campaign's rhetoric against Trump.
The Biden campaign paused all outbound communications and pulled down television ads, reflecting the gravity of the incident. Biden refrained from confirming if he believed it was an assassination attempt, stating that he had an opinion but no facts to confirm it.
Former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, causing chaos and injuring others. Secret Service agents neutralized the shooter, who later died. Eyewitnesses described the scene of panic, with some trying to assist the critically injured. The incident drew political reactions, with President Biden urging unity and condemnation of violence. The situation remains under investigation as the nation grapples with the implications of such attacks on the political climate.
