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Shots were fired at former U.S. president Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon.
Video of the apparent assassination attempt showed Trump grabbing at the right side of his face amid a hail of gunfire – then falling to the ground prior to being swarmed and surrounded by agents of the U.S. Secret Service.
Witnesses reported hearing anywhere from eight to ten rounds fired at the former president as he spoke to thousands of supporters in this small town in western Pennsylvania – located approximately thirty miles north of Pittsburgh.
At least as many shots could be heard on the video feed of the shooting provided by C-SPAN.
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Someone appears to have shot a gun at Donald Trump. Unclear whether he was actually hit. Someone yells “shooter down.” pic.twitter.com/80zfDL2Rqv
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) July 13, 2024
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Remarkably, one of the bullets fired at Trump was actually caught on camera …
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A remarkable photo captured by my former White House Press Corps colleague Doug Mills.
— Haraz N. Ghanbari (@HarazGhanbari) July 14, 2024
Zoom in right above President Trump’s shoulder and you’ll see a bullet flying in the air to the right of President Trump’s head following an attempted assassination. pic.twitter.com/FqmLBCytoW
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Initial reports indicated the shots were fired by a man with a rifle from a nearby rooftop – one located approximately 400 feet from where Trump was speaking. After the alleged shooter was neutralized, the 2024 GOP nominee rose defiantly to his feet and raised his fist to the crowd.
“Fight!” Trump mouthed as he was ushered from the stage, his fist in the air and blood dripping from his face. “Fight! Fight!”
The shooting took place just after 6:15 p.m. EDT as Trump was approximately ten minutes into his remarks to the crowd. He was addressing the issue of illegal immigration, referring to a chart documenting the unprecedented surge of illegal aliens since U.S. president Joe Biden was elected.
“That chart’s a couple months old,” Trump said. “If you wanna really see something that’s sad, take a look at what happened …”
As Trump uttered these words, the popping sound of rifle rounds could be heard. The former president – grabbing at his right ear – recoiled and fell to the ground.
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At least one attendee at the outdoor rally was killed and two others were critically wounded, according to event organizers. A picture posted to X by a local physician described- and depicted – the fatal wound that befell the rally attendee.
“Guy in the bleachers next to me hit in the head and killed,” the physician wrote.
Video footage of police carrying the victim out of the stands was initially confused by some as footage of them carrying the shooter.
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Trump was assisted by Secret Service agents who escorted him from the stage following the shooting. He appeared to have blood on his face and an open wound on his ear.
“I saw blood on his ear,” one rally-goer told The New York Post.
A statement issued by the campaign in the immediate aftermath of the shooting stated Trump was “fine” but provided no specific details on the president’s wounds, his condition or his prognosis for recovery.
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” the statement noted. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
At approximately 8:45 p.m. EDT, Trump issued his first statement on the attempted assassination – and provided the first update on his condition.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “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.”
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Trump thanked the Secret Service and local law enforcement “for their rapid response on the shooting.” He also offered 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,” Trump said.
Per protocol, the U.S. Secret Service will lead the investigation into the attempted assassination.
“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania,” an initial statement from agency spokesman Anthony Guglielmi noted. “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
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A follow-up statement from the agency issued several hours later confirmed a “suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.”
“U.S. Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” the statement continued. “U.S. Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and Former President Trump is safe. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured. This incident is currently under investigation. and the Secret Service has notified the FBI.”
According to Trump, “nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.”
Several posts on social media purported to show the body of the would-be assassin splayed on the rooftop of the building where he fired at the former president.
Hopefully the Secret Service will investigate claims made by a man who was listening to the rally outside the security perimeter when he and others witnessed the would-be assassin moving into position just minutes before the shots rang out.
“We notice a guy crawling, you know, Army … bear-crawling up the roof of the building beside us,” the man said in an interview with a BBC reporter. “So we’re standing there – we’re pointing at the guy crawling up the roof.”
“He had a rifle,” the man continued. “We could clearly see him with a rifle.”
Take a look …
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this BBC interview with a guy outside the security perimeter who claims he saw the shooter before he fired is absolutely wild pic.twitter.com/vJpKZTxSAe
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 13, 2024
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Biden was briefed on the shooting and issued a statement shortly thereafter condemning it.
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” he said. “I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Speaking to reporters, Biden said he “tried to get ahold of Donald – he’s with his doctors.”
“I plan on talking to him, shortly, I hope,” he said.
“The idea that there’s political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of,” Biden continued. “It’s just not appropriate. Everyone – everybody – must condemn it. Everybody.”
Not everyone was buying Biden’s statements, however.
“Today is not just some isolated incident,” U.S. senator J.D. Vance of Ohio wrote on X. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Stay tuned for much more on this latest seismic development in what has already been an unprecedented election cycle …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass guitarist and dive bar bouncer. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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13 comments
And Trump supporters are the threat…
The shooter was s registered Republican using an AR-15 style rifle.
… and who donated money to a democrat organization…
How many South Carolinian Democrats register as Republicans to vote against Trump since they know voting in the Democratic primary is useless. Straight Democratic party voter Brad Warthen bragged about it on his blog.
As a reminder, voters in South Carolina do not register any Party affiliation. Primaries are open, and any registered voter can show up to vote at any primary.
Turns out is was an AK style rifle, not an AR style.
not so much looks like it was an AR
Who is Trump asking to fight and fight for what?
You don’t have to register by party to vote in S.C.
??
That bullet photo is so fake, unless the photographer was shooting like 1000 frames per second you’d never catch a mid-flight bullet.
Surely The Colonel remembers what Trump supporters said about Nancy Pelosi’s husband after he got attacked?
Would also like to think Mike Pence escaped an assassination attempt on 1/6.
My point is that a Trump supporter didn’t shoot Trump. Has the hyperbole reached epic proportions? Yeah, it has, to the point where onee Dem staffer wrote , “I don’t condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time ooops that wasn’t me talking.”. Congressman Thompson fired the twit as he should have. Maybe now the rhetoric will be toned down a little.