Former President Trump was rushed off stage at his rally in Pennsylvania with blood on his face after sounds that resembled gunshots.
The alleged shooter is dead and a rally attendee was killed at the Trump event in Pennsylvania, the Butler County District Attorney told The Associated Press.
Trump’s campaign said the former president was “fine” and being checked out at a local medical facility, with more details to come.
Authorities have not confirmed what happened or what the current state of the former president is.
President Biden said he was “grateful” to hear reports that Trump was safe and thanked Secret Service for their quick response to the apparent shooting.
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden said in a statement.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.”
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
David McCormick, the GOP nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania, said in a live phone interview on Fox News that he was in the front row at Trump’s rally when shots rang out. Just minutes before the apparent attack, Trump had told the crowd that he would bring McCormick up on stage.
“There were seven or eight shots,” McCormick said. “It’s hard to tell whether they came from one direction or from two different weapons. It wasn’t clear.”
“Sadly, someone behind me up in the bleachers was – was definitely wounded, and there was a lot of blood,” McCormick said.
“I was sitting to President Trump’s right as he was facing the crowd,” McCormick said. “It sounds like some of the shots came from his left side, which would make sense because someone behind me was hit. It sounds like at least some came from that side of the crowd.”
“I’m no expert on this, but it felt — it sounded like a small caliber weapon of some sort,” McCormick said. “Initially, I thought it might be fireworks or something, but then the succession of the shots, I think it was clearly a weapon, a firearm.”
McCormick said it looked like the person in the crowd who was injured was a man, and that he had shirts wrapped around him to try to stop the bleeding. Some police officers came in and carried the man out of the stands, he said. McCormick could not tell if others were wounded.
Asked if Trump was lucky to be alive, McCormick said: “I think so. Yeah, absolutely, I think so.”
“When you’re in the middle of a crisis, you don’t want to draw too many conclusions. But it felt to me like he’s very lucky to be alive. And I hope others who are injured are going to survive this. It was a very scary moment,” McCormick said.
“There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” former President Barack Obama said on X.
“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”
Donald Trump Jr. said his father will “never stop fighting to Save America,” in a post on X shortly after former President Trump’s rally was interrupted by apparent gunfire.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) condemned the violence at Trump’s rally Saturday.
“Political violence is absolutely unacceptable,” Sanders posted on X. “I wish Donald Trump, and anyone else who may have been hurt, a speedy recovery.”
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are among the Democrats condemning the apparent shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
“As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society,” Pelosi wrote on X. “I thank God that former President Trump is safe.”
“In this horrible moment, encouraged to hear President Trump’s team indicate that the former president is doing well,” Buttigieg said on X. “An entire nation must speak with one voice today to completely and unequivocally reject all political violence.”
“Reports of the shooting in Pennsylvania are horrifying,” former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said in a post on X. “Violence of any kind has no place in American politics. We are grateful for the reaction of Secret Service and other law enforcement and pray for the former president and all those injured.”
Former President George W. Bush praised Secret Service for its quick response and said in a statement he and former first lady Laura Bush “are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called on Americans to put aside their political differences and pray for former President Trump.
“Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence, and unite in prayer for President Trump and his family,” Kennedy said in a post on X.
Biden received a second briefing as of 7:10 p.m. from top aides, including Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas.
The briefing also included Kimberly Cheatle, director of the United States Secretary Service, and Liz Sherwood-Randall, assistant to the president and Homeland Security adviser.
Others in the briefing included chief of staff Jeff Zients, counselor Steve Ricchetti, and deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) reacted to news of the apparent shooting in a post on X, saying he was praying for Trump.
“There is never any place for political violence,” Scalise said in a post on X.
Scalise was shot and seriously injured in 2017 at a congressional baseball practice in 2017.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) decried political violence after apparent shots were fired at former President Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., and said they are thankful that he is alright.
“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe,” Schumer said in a statement. “Political violence has no place in our country.”
The Republican leader said that he is “grateful” that the former president is doing ok, labeling what happened a “despicable attack.”
“Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics,” McConnell said. “We appreciate the swift work of the Secret Service and other law enforcement.”
Trump was hit by apparent shots and was swarmed by Secret Service agents immediately, who rushed him to his detail. He had a bloodied ear, but a campaign spokesperson said that is “fine.”
“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,” said Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesperson, who added that “more details will follow.”
Report and reactions compiled by The Hill
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