BUTLER CITY, Pa. (NEWSnet/AP) – Donald Trump was rushed off stage by Secret Service after gunshots were fired during his campaign rally Saturday evening in Pennsylvania.

The shooter is dead, one rally attendee was killed, and two others are reported to have critical injuries in the aftermath of the shooting at Butler Farm Show Grounds near Butler City.

Trump, who was immediately taken to a medical center, has reported that he has an injury to his right ear.

The shooting is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The incident is now considered "an active Secret Service investigation," an agency spokesman said.

 

What Happened

 

Trump was in Pennsylvania for a campaign stop before the Republican National Convention opens Monday in Milwaukee. He is scheduled to formally accept the nomination Thursday, the final night of the convention.

 

About 6:15 p.m., according to news media on scene, the rally was interrupted by loud popping noises. Trump was presenting a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing through the crowd. He then could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face. 

Secret Service personnel jumped onstage. Trump has Secret Service protection both as a former president, and as a candidate with a major party in the current race.

Someone could be heard saying near the microphone at Trump’s lectern, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as agents tackled the former president. They piled atop him to shield him with their bodies, as is their training protocol, as other agents took up positions on stage to search for the threat.

Screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to Trump on stage.

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate David McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, told Politico that it appeared someone behind him was shot.

“All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot,” McCormick said. “There’s lots of blood, and then the Secret Service were all over President Trump.”

The former president's motorcade quickly left the venue. 

Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.

About 7:15 p.m., the Associated Press reported the shooter was dead and a rally attendee was also killed. Confirmation of the two others injured was available later.

The shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team and killed, according to two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation publication.

The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the president and major party nominees and is meant to confront any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the protectee.

Shortly after 8 p.m., Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said he had spoken to his father on the phone and that “he is in great spirits.”

Reactions to the Incident

 

President Joe Biden was attending Saturday evening church services in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, at the time of the shooting, and was briefed on the situation immediately afterward.

He later issued a statement saying he was is "grateful" Trump is doing well after shooting at rally.

Preparations were then made for Biden to give brief remarks to the nation, using a setup that can serve as a temporary briefing area when he is away from the White House. He kept his remarks brief when speaking about 8:20 p.m., saying he wanted to get more facts on the situation and had not yet spoken to Trump. But Biden insisted the rally "should have been allowed to be conducted peacefully."

"There's no place in America for this kind of violence," Biden said, issuing his thanks to the Secret Service for their immediate actions.

The White House said Vice President Kamala Harris also has received an “initial briefing” on the incident at the Trump rally.

The Biden campaign, in the meantime, is pausing all messaging to supporters and is working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible, the campaign said.

Mike Pence, who served as Trump's vice president, posted on social media that “Karen and I are praying for President Trump and urge every American to join us.” 

House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X that he was praying for Trump.

North Dakota Sen. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the three men on his shortlist for vice president, all quickly sent out statements expressing concern for the former president.

Prayers and remarks in aftermath of the shooting are also coming from Trump's political opponents.

“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a statement.

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.” He added that while details were still scarce, “we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”

A spokesperson for New York Mayor Eric Adams said that out of “an abundance of caution,” the city’s police department will increase its presence across the city, including at Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street.

This is a developing news story; NEWSnet will continue to follow the situation.

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