Former US President Trump was attacked during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday evening (July 13th), sustaining an injury to his right ear. The FBI confirmed in the early hours of Sunday that the incident at Trump’s rally was an assassination attempt. Trump has since left Pennsylvania.
In a press conference held by the FBI in Butler, Pennsylvania at midnight on Saturday, FBI Pittsburgh field office director Kevin Rojek stated, “Tonight, we experienced an assassination attempt against former President Trump.”
Rojek mentioned that authorities are actively searching for the perpetrator and investigating their motives, urging the public to provide any helpful information.
He added that the FBI has deployed investigative personnel, evidence response teams, and other staff nationwide.
As of now, law enforcement has not identified the shooter. Rojek stated, “We are close to identifying [the shooter], and once we are certain of their identity, we will share it with the media. We have not yet determined the motive.”
Due to the absence of identification on the suspect, the FBI is utilizing “biometric analysis” to ascertain the shooter’s identity.
Additionally, due to “heightened caution,” bomb squads were deployed to the scene of the shooting.
Two Republican senators from the Senate Homeland Security Committee have called for an investigation and hearing regarding the attack on Trump.
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley posted on X, stating that the committee must investigate the assassination attempt and attempted mass murder, and ascertain the motives behind it.
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott requested a hearing on the shooting incident before August 1st.
“The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC) has oversight responsibilities and is obligated to demand responses from the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service on the causes of this incident and the measures being taken to investigate this assassination attempt to prevent similar incidents from occurring again,” Scott stated in a release.
Democratic Senator Gary Peters chairs the committee.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced at midnight that Trump had left the Butler area of Pennsylvania.
“With the protection of the Secret Service and the assistance of Pennsylvania law enforcement, former President Trump has now left the Butler area,” Shapiro stated in a release on X.
He expressed wishes for Trump’s swift recovery.
Shapiro mentioned that federal law enforcement officials will continue to lead the investigation into the shooting incident. Simultaneously, Pennsylvania law enforcement will lead the investigation into other victims of the shooting. He stated that he has been in contact with Pennsylvania law enforcement and had a conversation with President Biden, who “expressed full support.”
Shapiro noted that Biden understood “how painful and shocking this event is for many of our Pennsylvania fellow citizens” and called for the respect of American citizens and a joint condemnation of the unacceptable violence witnessed in Butler.