Trump survives assassination attempt

A shooting at Donald Trump‘s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee

One attendee was killed and two were critically injured.

Trump said on social media that a bullet “pierced the upper part” of his right ear before agents whisked him off stage.

The Secret Service said it killed the suspected shooter, who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.

The suspected shooter was identified overnight as a Pennsylvania resident who lived about 20 minutes from the venue.

Records show Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.

Trump spent Saturday night recovering at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.

State Police have identified the person killed and people injured, State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said.

Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, said late Saturday: “Tonight we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt on our former president, Donald Trump.”

“We do not currently have an identified motive,” he added.

Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Rojek responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”

“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”

Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, State Police Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.

Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.

The Republican speaker said the House will conduct a full investigation of the attack, saying, “The American people deserve to know the truth.”

“We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” Rep. Mike Johnson said.

The FBI stated it will be the lead law enforcement agency investigating the attempted assassination of Trump.

The bureau says it will be working with the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has said the ATF, the US attorney’s office in the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Justice Department’s national security division are also investigating.

The FBI says they believe the AR-style rifle the Trump rally shooter used was legally purchased by the gunman’s father.

Rojek told reporters that authorities don’t yet know how the shooter gained access to the weapon, and whether he took it without his father’s knowledge.

“These are facts that we’ll flesh out as we conduct interviews,” Rojek said. Authorities recovered the weapon at the scene of the shooting.

AS IT HAPPENEDAt 6:02 p.m. Saturday in Butler, Pa., to the strains of “God Bless the U.S.A.,” former President Donald Trump took the stage at fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, waving at the cheering crowd and settling into his regular rally speech under a scorching midsummer sun.

A few short minutes later, Trump pointed to a projection of a chart that showed a spike in illegal border crossings under the man he’s running against, President Joe Biden. “That chart’s a couple of months old,” Trump told the crowd. “And if you want to see something really sad —”

A popping of gun fire is heard; he reaches for his face and then falls as nearby security detail personnel yell “get down, get down, get down, get down.”

The gunfire continues, followed by a heavier sound of return fire from federal agents using sniper weapons.

Authorities described the attacker’s weapon as an “AR-15” type, although it was not specified if it was an AR-15.

Screaming is heard from the crowd, many of whom behind him fall for cover. The microphone from the podium picked up much of the protective details conversation in the next 30 seconds, as they assess Trump and the situation.

One minute after being surrounded by the agents, Trump stands back up, blood coming off his ear and cheek.

As agents encircle him, he raised a fist and apparently yelled “fight, fight, fight” as the security team rushed him off to an awaiting vehicle. The crowd starts cheering “U.S.A! U.S.A!”

At the same time, other agents can be heard saying “shooter’s down, shooter’s down.”

Later on, Trump went to his social media page.

Trump stated he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

He wrote that he, “knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Trump, in his social media post, also thanked the U.S. Secret Service and law endorsement for their “rapid response” and also extended his condolences “to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,” he said.

VICTIMSPresident Joe Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden extend their “deepest condolences” to the family of the man who was killed in the assassination attempt on Trump.

The president said Corey Comperatore was protecting him family from the bullets that were being fired “and he lost his life.”

“God love him,” Biden said.

The former fire chief who was killed at a Pennsylvania rally for Donald Trump spent his final moments diving in front of his family to protect them from gunfire that rang out Saturday during an assassination attempt against the former president.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed Sunday that Corey Comperatore, 50, had died a “hero,” using his body as a shield to protect both his wife and daughter from the bullets.

“His wife shared with me that he dove on his family to protect them,” Shapiro said.

Assistant Chief Ricky Heasley of Sarver, who knew Comperatore for more than a decade, remembers him as very outgoing and full of life.

“He never had a bad word,” Heasley said.

A GoFundMe launched to support Comperatore’s family had already surpassed more than $180,000 in donations as of Sunday.

The department was preparing to honor him with plans to install memorial drapery to honor the slain former chief.

At least two other people were injured during the attempt to kill Trump at Saturday’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Those two have been identified as David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. Both were listed in stable condition as of Sunday.

REACTIONSU.S. Rep. Dan Meuser was in the front row with other Republican elected officials and candidates when the shots rang out.

“It was pretty clear after the first pop that it was gunfire,” he told AP.

“My eyes were glued” on Trump he said.

“It was just a lot of mayhem, and just a terrible, terrible tragedy, a terrible shame.”

Meuser said he had been able to meet with Trump earlier in the evening and said the former president was “loose” and “cool,” and joking with him.

The congressman said he appreciated the outpouring text and calls from Republican and Democratic colleagues — including the Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro checking on him — but still felt angry and even a “little helpless” about the situation.

“The level of lack of civility and hostility, maybe this will send a ringing signal to all those to cool it,” he said.

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.” He added that while details were still scarce, “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.”

“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,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a statement.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a post on X that his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump” and expressed thanks “for the decisive law enforcement response.”

While people are urging calm and unity, FBI officials noted potential trouble.

FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate says threatening online rhetoric has been “ticking up” since the attempted assassination.

He says people are going online to pose as the shooter, who was killed by U.S. Secret Service.

Abbate says they are aware of the increased activity and monitoring it closely.