A shooting at Donald Trump‘s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.
Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide reacted to the shooting.
One attendee was killed and two were critically injured. Trump said on social media that a bullet “pierced the upper part” of his right ear before agents whisked him off stage.
The Secret Service said it killed the suspected shooter, who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.
What to know:
- Latest on the shooter: The FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspected shooter behind the apparent assassination attempt. Law enforcement officials told AP that bomb-making materials were found inside the vehicle of the suspect and inside his home.
- Latest on the victims: The man who was killed at the rally was identified as Corey Comperatore. The former fire chief from the area “dove on his family to protect them,” his wife told Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. State police have identified two people who were critically injured — both adult males — but didn’t release names at a news briefing early Sunday.
- Biden to address the nation: The president is expected to speak at 8 p.m. Sunday.
Former President Donald Trump says he’ll travel to Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon ahead of the Republican National Convention.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he was going to delay his trip after Saturday’s apparent assassination attempt, but decided he cannot “allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else.”
President Joe Biden said he’ll address the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday evening at 8 p.m. following the apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump at a political rally.
Biden spoke briefly Sunday afternoon saying he and Jill Biden were praying for the family of the person killed at the rally and that he was sincerely grateful that Trump is “doing well and recovering.”
Biden says: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence, or any violence for that matter.”
President Biden said he’s directed an independent review of the security at the rally Saturday where a gunman apparently tried to assassinate Donald Trump.
Biden said he has also directed the U.S. Secret Service to review all security measures for the Republican National Convention which begins Monday in Milwaukee.
Biden urged Americans not to make assumptions about the motive of the shooter, who was killed by U.S. Secret Service. He says they’re working swiftly to investigate the incident.
“Unity is the most elusive goal of all,” he added, while urging the public to strive for it.
Not long before shots rang out, rally goers noticed a man climbing to the top of a roof of a nearby building and warned local law enforcement, according to two law enforcement officials.
One officer climbed to the roof and encountered the suspected shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, who pointed his rifle at the officer. The officer retreated down the ladder and Crooks quickly took a shot toward former President Donald Trump, and that’s when the U.S. Secret Service counter snipers shot him, said the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.
The FBI said the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”
“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”
“We do not currently have an identified motive,” he added.
Rojek said they received no specific threats ahead of the shooting.
Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, State Police Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.
Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.
Trump’s private jet landed shortly after midnight Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Video posted by an aide showed the former president deplaning, flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team.
It was an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.
Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.
The White House said President Biden spoke with former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening.
No further details were provided on the call.