THIS STORY IS DEVELOPING AND RIGHT NOW IS UNCLEAR, IF ANYTHING CHANGES, IT WILL BE UPDATED
Update 1 (6:56 p.m.). Team Trump on X tweeted out, as an update about the horrifying incident, “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. More details will follow. — Trump spokesperson @TheStevenCheung” Additionally, Anthony Guglielmi, the Chief of Communications for the Secret Service, tweeted, “An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
Update 2: (7:07 p.m): It is reported that the shooter has been killed, with reports saying the Secret Service managed to killed the attempted assassin.
Update 3: Washington Post writer Meryl Cornfield added, in a tweet, “Butler county district attorney Richard Goldinger tells me Trump was grazed by gunfire but is safe. An audience member was killed and the shooter is dead. Another person is in serious condition, the prosecutor said.”
In a horrifying video that emerged on the evening of Saturday, June 13, former President Donald Trump appeared to be shot at while he spoke in Pennsylvania. In videos of the apparent incident that have since emerged on X, it appears that gunshots were fired at Trump, who fell to the ground and was quickly surrounded by Secret Service personnel.
Videos then show Trump rising from the ground, surrounded by the black-suited members of his security detail, and pumping his fist in the air with blood streaming from his ear. It was unclear if the the bullet grazed his ear, hit somewhere else and splattered on his ear, or the ear was hurt when he hit the deck following the gunshots. Thankfully, he did not appear to be seriously injured.
President Joe Biden, who spoke to reporters as he walked out of a church in Delaware, where he was taking the weekend off, said that he had not been briefed on the apparent shooting. President Biden had also not yet tweeted about the incident as of the time this article was written (6:45 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, July 13).
Republican Senator J.D Vance of Ohio, a rumored favorite for the yet to be announced VP position, was quick, to take to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the incident. He said, in a post on the platform that quickly followed the apparent shooting: “Everyone join me in praying for our President Trump and everyone at that rally. I hope everyone is ok.”
Similarly, conservative podcaster Patrick Bet-David said, in a post on X that referenced Trump’s legal troubles and the various attacks launched on him, “Shots fired at Trump rally. Character assassination, failed. Attempt to deplete savings, failed. Attempt to silence, failed. Only option left, actual assassination attempt, FAILED. I’ve been saying repeatedly, double down on private security!”
Watch what appears to be the shooting here:
And Watch Trump get up and leave here:
Also chiming in, Jamie Michell wrote, describing the incident, “🚨 NOW: Donald Trump was just shot at at his rally. He fell to the floor and tons of agents rushed him. He got up and looked really disoriented and it appears his ear is bloody. Secret Service put him in the car and rushed him away. All agents have guns drawn.”
Another commenter added that the incident might help Trump in the election, writing, “This is the type of moment political strategists dream of. Trump shot at on stage, bleeding from his ear, secret service covering him — “wait, wait” — pumps his fist “fight! fight!” Elections over. Trump wins.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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