(Rightallegiance.com) – Former President Donald Trump was swiftly evacuated from the stage during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening after gunfire erupted. Witnesses reported seeing Trump fall to the ground, with blood visible on his ear and face as chaos ensued in the crowd.
The incident began with a series of loud pops that many initially mistook for fireworks. Panic spread rapidly among attendees, leading to screams and a rush from the venue. Security personnel quickly surrounded Trump, escorting him away from the lectern as he appeared to call out to his supporters and pump his fist, a gesture of resilience even in the face of danger.
The Secret Service confirmed in an official statement that Trump is “safe” and that immediate protective measures were enacted. The shooting is now being investigated as a potential assassination attempt, according to law enforcement sources.
Tragically, the gunman was killed by Secret Service agents during the incident, and reports indicate that one rally attendee lost their life while another remains in serious condition. Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger confirmed the injuries among attendees and the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania,” said Anthony Guglielmi, the chief spokesman for the Secret Service. “This is now an active investigation, and we will provide further information as it becomes available.”
Multiple law enforcement officials indicated that the shooter was positioned outside the venue, with some reports suggesting he may have been on a rooftop. This has led investigators to describe him as a sniper. Goldinger noted that the shooter was situated on an adjacent building, although details about his identity remain unclear.
“It would have required a rifle,” Goldinger explained. “It was several hundred yards away.”
President Joe Biden was promptly briefed about the situation while at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The White House confirmed that key security officials, including Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, were involved in the briefing.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick,” Biden stated, reflecting on the gravity of the incident.
Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, expressed gratitude towards law enforcement and first responders for their rapid response. “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility,” Cheung said, promising that more details would follow.
In the immediate aftermath, a senior adviser to Trump reported that the team was actively gathering information about the former president’s condition, noting that Trump’s gestures as he was escorted away seemed promising. “We pray he is OK,” the adviser remarked.
Lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum quickly condemned the violence. House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement expressing his horror at the event. “This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned,” he asserted.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed these sentiments, stating, “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.”
Former Trump campaign adviser David Urban provided insight into the moments leading up to the shooting. He revealed that Dave McCormick, the Republican nominee for Senate from Pennsylvania, was seated in the front row when Trump invited him on stage. Urban described hearing several “pops” that sounded like “firecrackers,” prompting McCormick to drop to the ground. “When he got up, Secret Service agents were around everybody and they were scattering,” Urban recounted.
In a show of solidarity, McCormick later took to social media, writing that he and his wife, Dina Powell, are “praying for President Trump and all who were injured today in Butler, PA.”