Donald Trump Rally Shooting: What We Know

Former President Donald Trump had just begun his speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening when a burst of gunfire rang out, followed by screams.

Secret Service agents rushed toward Trump and soon took the former president, whose face and right ear were covered in blood, from the stage. Trump, who later said he had been shot in the ear, was said to be “fine” and secure, and was being treated for injuries.

At least two people were killed, including the shooting suspect, and two rally attendees were injured, according to the Secret Service and FBI.

The shooting comes amid a presidential campaign that has sharply divided the country over controversial issues like gun violence, the right to bear arms and women’s reproductive rights. At the same time, President Joe Biden’s campaign is mired in conflict as some Democratic members of Congress call on him to drop out of the race.

Here’s what we know and what we don’t know.

Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, had just taken the stage at a rally in Butler and was just beginning his speech when a barrage of gunfire rang out at 6:11 p.m. Trump grimaced, grabbed his right ear, then crouched behind the podium as rallygoers screamed and Secret Service members rushed toward him as more gunfire rang out.

Shortly afterward, a Secret Service agent or rescuer shouted that “the shooter is down.” Secret Service agents helped Trump to his feet. His right ear appeared bloody, and there were streaks of blood on his right cheek.

” READ MORE: Donald Trump ‘OK’ after shooting at western Pennsylvania rally

One rallygoer was killed along with the gunman, and two other spectators were seriously injured, said Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police. He did not identify the shooting victims, saying only the men were involved.

The former president’s spokesman said he was feeling “fine” and was currently undergoing tests at a local medical facility.

In a statement released Saturday evening on Truth Social, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that went through the top of my right ear. I knew right away something was wrong because I heard a whooshing sound, shots and immediately felt the bullet break the skin. There was a lot of bleeding, so that’s when I knew what was happening.”

He turned 78 on June 14.

The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from western Pennsylvania, as the alleged shooter in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Crooks lived in Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, according to public records. Bethel Park borders Butler County, where Trump’s rally was held.

Crooks is a registered Republican, according to voter registration.

Crooks did not have any identification on him at the time of the shooting, Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, said during a news conference early Sunday morning.

Authorities said the shooter was on a roof, outside the rally area, and therefore could not have passed through magnetometers set up to screen rally attendees.

“We have no identified motive,” Rojek said. But he called the shooting an “assassination attempt” on Trump.

Authorities said they were not ready to release the information.

Bivens of the state police said there was “no reason to believe there was any additional threat” but the investigation was still ongoing.

The FBI is investigating the attempted assassination of Trump, while state police are investigating the other shootings, including the homicide.

“We had no specific information about the threat,” Rojek said.

Pennsylvania State Police and FBI officials said they were not prepared to draw that conclusion while the investigation was still in its early stages. “It’s a tragic incident that occurred,” Bivens said. “Just know that it will be thoroughly investigated.” Rojek called it “surprising” that a sniper was able to fire multiple shots during such a high-security event.

At a brief news conference Saturday evening, Biden called the shooting “sick” and condemned all political violence.

“There is no place for this kind of violence in America,” Biden said. “It’s sick, it’s sick. We have to unite this country. We can’t let this happen.”

The president said he was “grateful to hear” that Trump was safe “and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and everyone who was at the rally.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said, in part: “Violence against any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Please pray for President Trump, all those at the rally, and our country. God bless America.”

Butler, a city of just over 13,000 residents at the 2022 census, is the county seat of Butler County. It lies 35 miles north of Pittsburgh.

It is unclear whether the Republican National Convention, scheduled to begin Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump is expected to be nominated as the party’s presidential candidate, will go ahead as planned.