Former President Donald Trump was rushed off stage by the Secret Service during a rally in Pennsylvania after gunshots erupted in an apparent assassination attempt. Trump was seen grimacing and clutching his right ear before being swiftly escorted to a waiting vehicle. He later confirmed that a bullet had pierced the upper part of his right ear, resulting in visible bleeding.
The FBI identified the suspected gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service officers at the scene. One bystander was killed, and two others were critically injured in the shooting.
The rally, held in Butler, Pennsylvania, a key swing state for the upcoming election, descended into chaos as multiple shots were fired. Witnesses reported seeing a shooter on a nearby building’s roof, armed with a rifle. The Secret Service and FBI are treating the incident as an assassination attempt, though the motive remains unclear.
President Joe Biden condemned the attack, calling for unity against political violence. Politicians from both parties, including former President Barack Obama and Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence, expressed their relief that Trump wasn’t seriously hurt and condemned the violence.
Trump was receiving medical treatment and is expected to recover. The Trump campaign has gone into a communications lockdown, with staff instructed not to comment on the incident. President Biden has spoken to Trump, offering his support.
The shooting has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for an end to political violence. Law enforcement continues to investigate the incident.
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