On July 13, local time, former United States President Donald · Trump addressed supporters at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania. Five minutes into the speech, a gunshot-like sound suddenly rang out, and the scene became chaotic, with supporters pouring out of the stands to leave the event.
Within seconds, the 78-year-old Republican candidate was crushed to the ground by several Secret Service agents to prevent him from being shot. But when Trump got back on his feet, people saw him bloodied on his face, and he covered his cheek with his hand.
After the first gunshot, it was clear that the bullet had grazed Trump, and the rest of the shots that could be heard were those of law enforcement officers, the sources said.
Soldiers armed with submachine guns were then seen rushing into the scene, and videos posted on social media revealed that gunfire rang out nine times, including three before Mr. Trump took refuge.
Trump is suspected to have been shot in the right ear, but law enforcement sources said his wound should have been bruised by a ricochet. United States media widely speculated that the shooting was directed at Trump, and it was suspected that someone was trying to assassinate him.
And Trump also waved his fist angrily after standing up, even if the agents were busy, he did not forget to show his "heroic image". It can also be seen that Trump's injuries were not serious, and his campaign team also issued a statement afterwards saying that although the former president was taken to the hospital, he was "fine", and "also thanks to law enforcement and first responders for their quick action in this heinous attack."
Seeing Trump's waving arms, his supporters went even more frantic, shouting words like "United States" and "Make United States Great Again." And there is news that after hearing Trump "get shot", he shouted the word "fight" to his supporters.
It is unclear who the gunman was or whether anyone was arrested in the shooting. In addition, there have been no reports of injuries to anyone else at the event. It is reported that thousands of people participated in the campaign in Butler that day, and Trump is rumored to announce his vice president before next week's Republican National Convention.
The Secret Service surrounded Trump seconds after the shooting, and the agency said in a statement that the former president was "safe." "The Secret Service has implemented protective measures to keep the former president safe. The Secret Service is currently actively investigating the matter and further information will be released in due course. ”
Trump's former deputy, former Vice President of the United States, Mike · Pence, was the first to issue a statement about the shooting, "Cullen (his wife) and I are praying for President Trump and urging every American to join us." Pennsylvania Gov. Josh · Shapiro condemned the shocking scenes in the state, calling violence against any political party or leader absolutely unacceptable. "This kind of thing shouldn't happen in Pennsylvania or United States. I've got the picture. House Speaker Mike · Johnson posted: "Pray for President Trump." ”
The White House also spoke out, saying that President Biden was briefed on the shooting after the incident.