Trump had just begun his speech when the gunfire started, prompting him and the crowd to take cover. Secret Service agents quickly surrounded him, and live video displayed blood on the right side of Trump’s face and ear. Trump repeatedly raised his fist in the air as security led him away.
“The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe,” a spokesperson for the agency stated on X. “This is now an active Secret Service investigation, and further information will be released when available.”
CNN reported that Trump was injured but provided no additional details. Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldfinger told Pittsburgh ABC affiliate WTAE that one person is believed to be dead.
Witness Ron Moose described hearing four shots, saying it sounded like “pop, pop, pop.” Trump’s campaign spokesperson said Trump was fine and being evaluated at a local medical facility.
The incident left the venue deserted, with chairs overturned and yellow police tape surrounding the stage. A helicopter flew overhead, and law enforcement officers patrolled the area, with armed officers stationed on a nearby roof.
U.S. President Joe Biden received an initial briefing on the incident, according to the White House.
As Trump and Biden engage in a closely contested election rematch, Trump is set to receive the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday. Biden has been facing criticism within his party after a poor debate performance against Trump two weeks ago.
Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, quickly secured the Republican nomination early in the campaign, unifying the party that briefly wavered after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump also faces multiple legal challenges, including four criminal prosecutions. He was found guilty in late May of covering up hush money payments to a porn star. The other cases, including two related to his efforts to overturn his election defeat, have been stalled, partly due to a Supreme Court decision granting him partial immunity from prosecution.
Source: Reuters