In a shocking turn of events, former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
The attack, which is being investigated as an assassination attempt, has sent ripples through the political landscape just months before the November 5 election.
Trump, 78, had just begun his speech when shots rang out. Witnesses reported seeing Trump clutch his right ear and drop to his knees before Secret Service agents quickly covered him.
Emerging moments later, Trump, with blood streaked across his face, raised a defiant fist to the crowd before being rushed off stage.
The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old registered Republican from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Crooks, who was armed with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, was shot dead by Secret Service agents after he fired from the roof of a building approximately 140 meters from the stage. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
One rally attendee was killed, and two others were critically injured in the shooting. The incident has raised serious concerns about the security measures in place for the former president, who still receives lifetime protection from the Secret Service.
President Joe Biden condemned the violence, calling it “sick” and emphasising that “there’s no place for this kind of violence in America.”
Biden’s campaign has paused its television ads and other communications in the wake of the attack. Leading Republicans and Democrats alike have decried the violence, urging unity and condemning political violence.
World leaders have expressed their shock and condemnation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and French President Emmanuel Macron were among those who denounced the attack.
Russia, China, and other nations also voiced their support for Trump and the American people.
Investors believe the attack and Trump’s defiant response could boost his chances in the upcoming election against Democratic President Joe Biden.
Opinion polls show a close contest between the two candidates. Trump, who remains a polarising figure, is expected to receive the Republican nomination at the party’s convention in Milwaukee.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform, attributing his survival to divine intervention and calling for national unity.
“It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” he wrote. “We must stand united and show our true character as Americans.”
The attack has led to immediate scrutiny of the Secret Service’s security measures. The FBI has taken the lead in investigating the incident, and the U.S. House Oversight Committee has summoned Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify about the security lapse.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as shots rang out and Trump was whisked away by security. Videos and eyewitness accounts highlight the panic and confusion that ensued, with many attendees ducking for cover and trying to alert authorities about the shooter.
Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry, prominent figures in U.S. basketball, called for national unity and addressed the broader issue of gun violence in America. Speaking from Abu Dhabi, where Team USA is preparing for the Olympics, Kerr described the day as “demoralising” and emphasised the need for gun control and unity.
The shooting underscores the deep divisions and heightened tensions in the current U.S. political climate. As the election approaches, the nation remains on edge, grappling with the implications of this violent act and its impact on the democratic process.
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