North Carolina leaders respond to assassination attempt of former President Trump

Four summers ago during the pandemic, Charlotte was the scene of modest but tense clashes between protesters and counter-protesters at a slimmed-down 2020 Republican National Convention .

Why it matters: The 2024 RNC begins today hundreds of miles away in Milwaukee, and America faces a new level of challenges and fears.

• Saturday's assassination attempt of former President Trump has ushered in a dark chapter of political violence and redefined a campaign already packed with historic firsts, Axios' Zachary Basu writes .

What they're saying locally: "The temperature in our politics is way too high," former Charlotte Mayor and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx posted . "Are we losing our grip on the difference between political disagreement and political violence?"

• He added: "In a democracy, we fight with words, not bullets."

For at least a day, North Carolina elected officials from both parties were mostly sending the same message. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd issued statements condemning the violence, as did Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and local Democratic U.S. Reps. Alma Adams and Jeff Jackson . Republican Rep. Dan Bishop reposted calls for a House investigation into security shortcomings at the rally.

Here's what else to know as the work week begins, from Axios reporters across the country.

What we know: Trump said a bullet pierced his ear during the shooting. On Sunday he called on Americans to "stand United, and show our True Character" in the aftermath.

• A former fire chief attending the rally, Corey Comperatore, was killed in the attack as he dived to protect his family members, authorities said.
• See photos of the shooting's aftermath.

The FBI identified the alleged shooter , who Secret Service agents killed after he opened fire, as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa. A motive is not yet clear.

Witness accounts: Axios reporter Sophia Cai was at the scene and wrote about what she saw .

• She also spoke with a witness who was interviewed by Homeland Security after the shooting.

The big picture: This will be a defining moment for the presidential election, especially when just days ago the conversation focused almost entirely on Democratic concerns that President Biden didn't have the stamina to win. Go deeper.

The bottom line: Axios' Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write , " Everything in America has turned political. Everything political turned visceral. And everything visceral turned into the possibility of unspeakable violence like this."

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