LIVE | Trump survives assassination attempt, says US must 'stand united', thanks God
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social platform, Trump said, “It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”
Former US president Donald Trump survived an attempt on his life on Saturday (July 13 US time) when a young shooter fired multiple shots at him at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed his right ear but the shooting left one spectator dead and two others critically injured.
The incident is being investigated as an attempted assassination. The male attacker, identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, was also shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service. He was registered to vote as a Republican.
The incident comes days before Trump, 78, was to accept the Republican Party’s nomination for the presidential election in November. He was speaking at the packed outdoor election rally in Butler town when bullets started flying. Video footage showed him grabbing his ear as shots were fired.
What Trump said
Later, Trump said the US must "stand united" and called for people to show "true character as Americans", remaining "strong and determined".
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social platform, Trump said, “It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” CNN reported.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win,” he said.
“We will FEAR NOT,” said Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee.
He said he would remain “resilient” and added, “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families,” according to the report.
A spokesperson for the Trump Campaign said the former president is “fine” after the “heinous act.” The incident took place two days before the Republican National Convention starts in Milwaukee, where Trump will formally become the party’s nominee for the November 5 presidential election.
He is expected to still attend the convention.
What happened at the rally?
The suspect fired from between 200 ft and 300 ft away on an elevated shed with an AR-style rifle, multiple law enforcement officers told CBS News.
The crowd started screaming behind him and then someone yelled “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as Secret Service agents piled on top of Trump to shield him. The shooting created chaos with people in the back of the venue immediately running to the exits.
As blood gushed from his ear, Trump was then rushed off stage. He boldly pumped his fist into the air and told the crowd to “fight!” He was then whisked away in a car to a Pittsburgh-area hospital. “Let me get my shoes,” Trump said as he was escorted to the safe place.
Trump “fine”
A spokesperson for the Trump Campaign said the former president was “fine” after the “heinous act.”
In a post on his Truth Social social media account, Trump elaborated on what happened and described his injuries: “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 realised then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
FBI probe
In a news conference, Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office, said it was “surprising” the gunman was able to fire multiple shots. “We’re still working through the security apparatus that the Secret Service had in place, what potentially happened,” he added.
“There’s going to be a long investigation into exactly what took place and how the individual was able to get access to the location, what type of weapon he had. All that is really days, weeks, and months of investigation.” Bomb-clearing assets were deployed at the scene of the shooting out of an “abundance of caution,” said the FBI. Rojek said the crime scene was still active.
Biden returns to White House
US President Joe Biden spoke to Trump, his November election opponent, a White House official said. Biden also talked with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy, the White House said. Biden was scheduled to be in Delaware for the weekend but changed his plans to return to the White House.
Biden earlier said that “everybody must condemn” the suspected assassination attempt.
Addressing the nation about two hours after the shooting, he said, “We cannot allow this to be happening.” Vice-President Kamala Harris and former presidents, Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton, have condemned the attack on Trump.
Harris said she was “relieved” Trump was not seriously injured.
Follow this space for more live updates on the story
Live Updates
- 14 July 2024 3:25 PM GMT
Bomb-making materials found at suspect's home
Law enforcement officials told Associated Press (AP) that bomb-making materials were found inside the vehicle of the man suspected in the Trump rally shooting. There were also bomb-making materials found at his home. The two officials were not authorised to speak publicly and spoke to on condition of anonymity.
- 14 July 2024 1:46 PM GMT
Trump: US must 'stand united'
Trump on Sunday said the US must "stand united" and called for people to show "true character as Americans", remaining "strong and determined", after he survived an assassination attempt during a rally.
Trump, 78, survived the attempt on his life on Saturday when a 20-year-old shooter fired multiple shots at him at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, injuring his right ear. The shooting left one person attending the rally dead and two others in serious condition.
The suspected shooter was shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social platform, Trump said, “It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” CNN reported.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win,” he said.
“We will FEAR NOT,” said Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee.
He said he would remain “resilient” and added, “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families,” according to the report.
A spokesperson for the Trump Campaign said the former president is “fine” after the “heinous act.” The incident took place two days before the Republican National Convention starts in Milwaukee, where Trump will formally become the party’s nominee for the November 5 presidential election.
He is expected to still attend the convention.
“As was communicated earlier this evening, President Trump is doing well and grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their fast action,” his campaign said.
“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States. As our party's nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again,” his campaign said.
- 14 July 2024 9:51 AM GMT
PM Modi, other world leaders denounce political violence
World leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on Sunday denounced the appalling assassination bid on former US president Donald Trump and asserted that violence has no place in politics and democracies.
- 14 July 2024 8:47 AM GMT
Witness claims to have seen shooter moving from roof to roof during Trump rally
Two witnesses at Donald Trump's election rally in Pennsylvania, where he was attacked, claimed to have seen the shooter, with one recalling how the gunman moved from roof to roof, apparently scouting for a perfect perch to shoot at the former US president.
The FBI on Sunday identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks, armed with an AR-style rifle, was killed by Secret Service personnel. He fired multiple shots at the stage from an “elevated position outside of the rally venue,” the agency said.
The gunman was able to get close enough to shoot and injure Trump is seen as a huge failure of the security agencies tasked with providing cover for him ahead of the election.
The gunman was on a rooftop approximately "200 to 250 yards" from where the former US president was addressing his supporters, US media reported.
According to an attendee named Ben Macer, he was up along the fence line and "saw the guy move from roof to roof", CBS News reported.
Macer further said he told an officer that the shooter was on the roof, approximately "200 to 250 yards" away from where Trump was addressing his supporters.
"When I turned around to go back to where I was, it was when the gunshots started, and then it was just chaos, and we all came running away, and that was that," he said.
Butler resident Ryan Knight, another witness along the fence line, also said he saw the suspected shooter atop the American Glass Research building, the report said.
"I walked over about 20 minutes before the shooting happened to stand along the fence line where Trump was. As I was doing that, I was right beside the AGR building, which had the shooter on it," Knight said.
"When I was sitting there, a guy said, 'Oh God, he had a gun.' When I looked up, there was a guy on top of the building with an M16 with a blanket, pointing at the president. He starts shooting. Four to five shots rang out. I throw the guy I'm with to the ground. I jump to the ground, I look up, and I see his head get split up from the shot from the Secret Service," he said.
The Secret Service has confirmed that one attendee was killed and two others were critically injured in the shooting.
"All the cops started flying over, pushing us out, they took my name, witness report, [and] cell phone number to go over what happened because there [weren't many] eyewitnesses," Knight said.
"My main thought is why wasn't the Secret Service on top of AGR? That's a very big vantage point to shoot at the president. How did that get missed?" Knight asked.
Macer said he did not get a clear look at the alleged shooter, but reiterated that he saw him move from building to building. PTI
- 14 July 2024 8:45 AM GMT
Trump helped off stage
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA, on Saturday, July 13. AP/PTI
- 14 July 2024 8:43 AM GMT
Trump campaign rally site
A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris Saturday, July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA. AP/PTI
