Trump is in good spirits following an attempted assassination at his rally
The FBI identified the shooter as a 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa. One participant at the event was killed and two more injured before Secret Service agents killed the shooter.
Jul 14, 2024 03:01 AM
Former president Donald Trump is rushed offstage during an event at Butler, Pa. Evan Vucci/AP Cover captions hidden
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Evan Vucci/AP
BUTLER, Pa. – Former president Donald Trump was the target of an attempted assassination on Saturday, when a gunman opened the gun at him during an event around 30 miles from Pittsburgh.
The victim was fatally wounded during the shooting, and two were critically wounded two were critically wounded, the U.S. Secret Service said. The victims were all males who were of a certain age Law enforcement officials announced in a press conference. The shooter was killed in the hands of Secret Service. Secret Service.
Trump was removed from the stage, and the rally was soon over.
On Sunday morning early on Sunday, the FBI identified the person involved with the murder to be Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 from Bethel Park, Pa. It is located 40 miles to the south of Butler.
“It’ll be some time before we can conclusively answer” the question of whether it was a solo gunman Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said at an evening news conference.
He added that they had discovered the victim and have contacted their families, but they aren’t making their names public until now.
Bivens stated that the PSP will be the primary investigator on the homicide as well as other aspects of the investigation, FBI will take the charge of investigation into the “attempted assassination.” Bivens states that “at this time we have no reason to believe there is any other outstanding threat out there.”
In a tweet in a post on Truth Social, Trump thanked the security personnel who were protecting him.
“Most importantly, I want to extend my 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,” said he. “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. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I 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.”
Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, told reporters that Trump was examined by the local medical center and was deemed to be healthy.
The Trump campaign as well as the RNC issued a statement affirming it was it is the Republican National Convention will still take place during the week of Milwaukee, Wis. The convention is scheduled to start on Monday.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, declared in a press release that at around 6:15 p.m. ET the suspect shot multiple times at the arena from an elevated location in the vicinity of the rally site. Secret Service agents killed the shooter, according to the statement. One of the spectators was killed and two others were seriously injured, according to the statement.
The President Biden in a statement made public described the incident as “sick.”
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence, it’s sick,” the man said from Delaware. “We cannot allow this to happen.”
An White House official said late Saturday night that Biden talked to Trump. Biden was in Delaware and was heading back to Washington. Biden is expected to get an a new briefing from homeland security officials and police officials, the official said.
The Biden campaign official confirmed that the Biden campaign is suspending all outbound communications and is working to remove its TV advertisements as soon as it is possible.
Chris Takach, an attendee at the rally, explained to Oliver Morrison, a reporter for NPR member station WESA: “We were next to the speaker tower on the fence line, heard the shots, we heard ammunition, riddle around in metal and then the hydraulic line on the speaker tower on the right side come down and then everybody hit the deck and then the cops all converged toward the, the right side of his body, Trump’s that is.”
Lawmakers respond to Trump shooting
Congressional leaders quickly reacted.
“Praying for President Trump,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement that his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump.”
“I am grateful for the quick and decisive police response. America is a democratic country. Violence of any kind is not tolerated,” Jeffries said.
Senate Minority Chairman Chuck Schumer echoed that sentiment and said that “political violence has no place in our country.”
“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe,” the president stated in an interview.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said “tonight, everyone Americans are happy for the fact that President Trump seems to be in good health after a sexist attack at an unarmed rally. Violence is not a part of our political system. We appreciate the speedy action by Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies.” Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies.”
Former presidential hopefuls Doug Burgum, Ron DeSantis and Niki Haley all have posted messages on X which was previously called Twitter in which they expressed their concerns and praying for Trump.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has said that he’s been informed and “the Justice Department will bring every available resource to bear to this investigation.”