Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
This story has been updated at 10:00 p.m..
By Jill Colvin, Colleen Long, Julie Carr Smyth, Michael Balsamo, Eric Tucker, and Michelle L. Price - Associated Press
BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump appeared to be the target of an assassination attempt as he spoke during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, law enforcement officials said. The former president, his ear covered in blood, was quickly pulled away by Secret Service agents and his campaign said he was “fine.”
The attack, by a shooter who law enforcement officials say was then killed by the Secret Service, was the first attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It comes amid a deeply polarized political atmosphere, just four months from the presidential elections and days before Trump is to be officially named the Republican nominee at his party’s convention.
A local prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead.
“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 Secret Service said in a statement that “the former President is safe.” Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said after 8 p.m. that he spoke to his father on the phone and that “he is in great spirits.”
“There's no place in America for this type of violence,” President Joe Biden, who is running against Trump as the presumptive Democratic nominee, said in remarks. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”
Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents.
The officials said the shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team and killed. 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 person at the center of protection.
It’s still not clear yet whether Trump was struck by gunfire or was injured as he was pulled to the ground by agents.
Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said in a phone interview that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.
A rally disrupted by gunfire
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when the apparent shots began.
It took two minutes from the moment of the first shot for Trump to be placed in a waiting SUV.
As Trump was talking, a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear, as people in the stands behind him appeared to be shocked.
As the first pop rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear as two more pops could be heard and he crouched down. More shots are heard then.
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 were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. A woman is heard screaming louder than the rest. Afterward, voices were heard saying “shooter’s down” several times, before someone asks “are we good to move?” and “are we clear?” Then, someone ordered, “Let’s move.”
Trump could be heard on the video saying at least twice, “Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes,” with another voice heard saying, “I’ve got you sir.”
Trump got to his feet moments later and could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his face. There appeared to be blood on his face. He then pumped his fist in the air and appeared to mouth the word “Fight” twice to his crowd of supporters, prompting loud cheers and then chants of “USA. USA, USA.”
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.
His motorcade left the venue moments later. Video showed Trump turning back to the crowd and raising a fist right before he is put into a vehicle.
Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage in what local officers described as a crime scene.
Political violence again shakes America
The perils of campaigning took on a new urgency after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in California in 1968, and again in 1972 when Arthur Bremer shot and seriously hurt George Wallace, who was running as an independent on a campaign platform that has sometimes been compared to Trump’s. That led to increased protection of candidates, even as the threats persisted, notably against Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008.
Presidents, particularly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, have even greater layers of security. Trump is a rarity as both a former president and a current candidate.
Biden was briefed on the incident, the White House said. He received an updated briefing from Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
He told reporters after 8 p.m. that he hadn't been able to reach Trump yet but was briefed that the former president was “doing well.”
“I hope I get to speak to him tonight,” he said.
After the shooting at Trump’s rally the Biden campaign was pausing all messaging to supporters and is working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible, the campaign said.
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., posted a photo on X of Trump, his fist raised and his face bloody in front of an American flag, with the words: “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America."
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the three men on Trump's shortlist for vice president, all quickly sent out statements expressing concern for the former president, with Rubio sharing an image taken as Trump was escorted off stage with his fist in the air and a streak of blood on his face along with the words “God protected President Trump.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and Pennsylvania state police were on hand at the rally site.
“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.
Updated at 10:00 p.m.
Trump lands in New Jersey, plans to spend the night at his private golf club. Biden back at White House
Former President Donald Trump’s private jet landed shortly after midnight Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Video posted by an aide showed him deplaning flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter-assault team, an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.
Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden arrived at the White House early Sunday after cutting short a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
The White House said he would receive a briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the attempted assassination of Trump later in the morning.
Vice President Kamala Harris was also to attend.
Law enforcement officials say assailant who opened fire at Trump rally was a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania
The officials spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss details that had not yet been publicly released.
— Mike Balsamo
FBI says it’s ‘surprising’ the shooter was able to fire so many rounds
Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”
“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”
Meanwhile, State Police said the Secret Service was responsible for surveying the venue where the rally was held. Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.
Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.
Bivens also said police have identified the person killed and people injured but are not prepared to release names.
Other than Trump, two people were critically injured and one was killed. All were adult males.
FBI says investigators haven’t identified motive in assassination attempt against Trump Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, said late Saturday: “Tonight we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt on our former president, Donald Trump.”
“We do not currently have an identified motive,” he added.
The FBI was not prepared to release the identity of the shooter, who died at the scene.
Rojek said they received no specific threats ahead of the shooting.
Update 6:00 p.m.
Secret Service says 1 spectator killed, 2 critically injured after attacker fired ‘multiple shots’ at Trump rally
Multiple shots were fired toward the stage by a shooter at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, the Secret Service said, leaving one spectator dead and two critically injured.
The agency said the shooter fired from “an elevated position outside the rally venue.” Agents “neutralized” the shooter, who is now dead. The agency repeated that Trump is “safe” and is being evaluated.
Trump says his ear was hit by a bullet, nothing yet known about shooter
In a social media post, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he “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. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Trump also thanked the Secret Service and other law endorsement for their “rapid response.” And he extended 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. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,” he said.
Colvin, Balsamo and Price reported from New York. Long and Tucker reported from Washington.
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