Donald Trump had blood on his ear and face after what sounded like gunshots interrupted his rally on Saturday.Evan Vucci/AP
Secret Service personnel surrounded Donald Trump and rushed him off stage on Saturday after his rally speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, was interrupted by a series of popping sounds that turned out to be gunshots. As the popping began, Trump winced and touched his right ear, as though struck by a projectile, before ducking down. A second series of shots could then be discerned.
Trump later released a statement on Truth Social saying he’d been hit by a bullet: “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”
The Secret Service has confirmed that one audience member was killed, as was the shooter, and two more people were in serious condition as of about 9 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
The former president had blood on his ear and face, but wasn’t badly hurt. (A Secret Service spokesman posted soon after on X that Trump was safe.) Before leaving the stage, he could be heard saying, “Wait!” At which point he pumped his fist a few times and the crowd cheered, although many were screaming.
Little is yet known about the shooter, except that the person, according to ABC News, was firing with an AR-15 from a rooftop outside the rally venue, from several hundred yards away, which will undoubtedly raise hard questions for the Secret Service. Eight shots were fired, ABC News reports.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), whose husband was attacked in 2022 by a right-wing conspiracy theorist, and former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head at a 2011 public appearance in Tucson, both posted statements on X decrying political violence.
The White House press office released a statement from President Joe Biden.
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
As recriminations were already brewing on social media, New York Times White House reporter Katie Rogers posted that the Biden campaign will pause, for now, its ads attacking Donald Trump.
In his own statement, Trump thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for their quick response, adding “I want to extend my 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.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
