On July 13th, 2024, during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot and injured in the ear before being escorted out by the Secret Service. The district attorney for Butler County told the Associated Press that the shooter was deceased, and a bystander at the event had also been killed, with two others injured.
Trump is currently receiving medical evaluations, with sources describing his condition as “stable.”
Witnesses reported that the first shot appeared to graze Trump, followed by shots fired by law enforcement. The scene was chaos with screams and sounds of explosions heard in the midst of the crowd.
A bloodstain could be seen on the right side of Trump’s face. People observed soldiers in military attire rushing into the event venue.
Video footage of the incident captured nine gunshots, including the three shots that Trump dodged.
The shooting occurred around 6:15 pm local time as Trump was speaking onstage when the shots rang out. Video evidence showed the former president touching his ear immediately, then crouching down, with his security detail rushing to the stage. Upon standing and raising his fist to the crowd, his face showed signs of blood. He was swiftly escorted to his vehicle and later confirmed safe by the Secret Service.
Thousands of people attended the campaign rally in Butler, amidst rumors that Trump would announce his vice presidential pick before the upcoming Republican National Convention next week.
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for swiftly taking action during this despicable act. He is in stable condition and undergoing evaluation at a local medical facility. More details will be released in due course,” said Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung.
Two law enforcement sources informed CBS News that the suspect was shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service Counter Assault Team. According to these sources, the shooter was positioned approximately 200 to 300 feet away from the rally area, standing on what was believed to be a shed roof. The sources indicated that the gunman was armed with an AR-style rifle.