A man fired “several shots” towards the stage where former President Donald Trump was holding a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night. One of the shots grazed the former president’s ear, killed a spectator, and seriously injured two others, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
Trump was rushed off the stage with visible blood around his right ear. He was taken directly to a hospital.
The Secret Service reported that one of its agents shot the gunman, who federal authorities identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Senior F.B.I. officials said on Sunday that agents were investigating the shooting as a possible domestic terrorism attack and attempted murder, trying to uncover the shooter’s motivations.
What is known so far about this sad episode in American politics
Trump reacted in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform, stating he had been “shot by a bullet that pierced the top of my right ear.”
In his social media post, Trump wrote: “I immediately knew something was wrong as I heard a buzzing, shots, and immediately felt the bullet tearing through my skin. There was a lot of bleeding, so I realized what was happening.”
The Shooter
The Secret Service said the shooter fired “from an elevated position outside the rally site” before being killed by a Secret Service agent. An analysis by The New York Times suggested that the shooter fired eight shots.
In a statement, the F.B.I. identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He worked as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, according to the unit’s administrator. He graduated from Allegheny County Community College two months ago, school officials said.
Police recovered a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle next to the young man’s body. The F.B.I. stated that the weapon was legally purchased by the shooter’s father, but it was unclear on Sunday how the shooter obtained possession of the firearm.
Among the shooter’s belongings, authorities also discovered a “rudimentary” explosive device, which was sent to the F.B.I. lab along with his phone and weapon.
Law enforcement is investigating the motive for the attack and said that as of Sunday, there was nothing to indicate that the shooter had mental health issues and that so far he was not linked to any specific ideology. Authorities believe he acted alone.
The Other Victims
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro identified the man killed at the rally as Corey Comperatore, 50, a firefighter and father of two daughters. Local authorities said Comperatore was in the stands when he was shot.
Pennsylvania State Police identified the two seriously injured individuals as David Dutch, 57, from New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and James Copenhaver, 74, from Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Both were in critical but stable condition on Sunday afternoon at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
The Scene
The shooting occurred while Trump was holding a large outdoor rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, a town of 13,000 residents about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh. Trump was showing his supporters a chart about the number of border crossings just minutes after his speech when the shots began. Attendees shouted, “Get down, get down!” and “Shots fired!” The Secret Service quickly evacuated the press area, moved the crowd away, and declared the area a crime scene. Some of Trump’s supporters held hands and prayed, then shouted, “USA!”
The Reaction
World leaders and elected officials in the United States, both Republican and Democrat, vehemently condemned the shooting as an affront to democracy. President Biden, in a televised address from the Oval Office on Sunday night, discussed the need to “cool down the temperatures in our politics.”
<br"Although we may disagree, we are not enemies," he said. "We must remain together," he added.
Former President Barack Obama urged Americans to “take this moment to recommit to civility and respect in our politics.” Republicans also decried the violence, with Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky stating, “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be okay after a despicable attack.”
It was unclear by Sunday night how a supposed assassin was able to open fire near a presidential candidate, especially one who is a former president, raising questions about security preparations and possible failures.
Source: The New York Times