Former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Saturday. As Trump addressed his supporters, a sudden volley of gunfire erupted, creating chaos and panic. Trump, visibly bloodied from a shot that grazed his ear, was quickly surrounded by Secret Service agents and whisked away to safety, defiantly pumping his fist as he retreated.
The Trump campaign reported that the former president was “doing fine” despite the harrowing incident. Trump later shared on his social media platform, “I knew immediately that something was wrong when I heard a whizzing sound and felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place.”
The FBI identified the assailant as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The investigation is ongoing, and details about Crooks’ motives remain unclear. Tragically, one attendee lost his life, and two others were critically injured. All victims have been identified as men.
The Secret Service neutralized the shooter, who had taken an elevated position outside the rally venue, a farm show in Butler, Pennsylvania. The agency confirmed Trump’s safety following the attack.
In a press conference late Saturday, the FBI stated that they were not yet ready to release further details about the shooter or his motives. This incident marks the most severe assassination attempt on a U.S. president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It has reignited concerns about political violence in an increasingly polarized nation, just months before the presidential election.
Despite the attack, organizers of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee announced that the event would proceed as planned, beginning Monday. After a brief visit to a local Pennsylvania hospital, Trump flew to New Jersey, arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport under heavy security. Video footage showed Trump deplaning his private jet, flanked by a formidable contingent of Secret Service agents and counterassault team members.
President Joe Biden, Trump’s opponent in the upcoming election, was briefed on the situation and spoke to Trump several hours after the shooting, the White House said. In his public remarks, Biden condemned the violence, stating, “There’s no place in America for this type of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick.” Biden cut short his weekend at his Rehoboth Beach home in Delaware to return to Washington.
Republicans swiftly pointed fingers at Biden and his allies, blaming their rhetoric for creating a toxic environment. They highlighted a recent comment from Biden, suggesting it was “time to put Trump in the bullseye,” as particularly inflammatory.
In the days ahead, attention will likely focus on the shooter and potential security lapses. Sources revealed that the shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by Secret Service agents. The shooter reportedly used an AR-style rifle, which law enforcement recovered at the scene.
An Associated Press analysis of multiple videos and photos, along with satellite imagery, indicated that the shooter had managed to get alarmingly close to Trump. Footage showed the shooter’s body on the roof of a nearby building, less than 150 meters from where Trump was speaking—a distance easily within range for a skilled marksman.
During the press conference, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, acknowledged the surprising fact that the shooter was able to open fire before being neutralized by the Secret Service. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas assured that officials were collaborating with both the Biden and Trump campaigns to ensure heightened safety and security measures moving forward.
