Shooting was an assassination attempt against Trump, FBI says

Who is Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks?
From CNN’s Jessie Yeung

A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris, in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
Evan Vucci/AP

Authorities have identified the gunman involved in the attack against former US President Donald Trump on Saturday as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene after the shooting.

The FBI named Crooks in a statement early Sunday morning, identifying him as a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania – about 35 miles south of Butler, where Trump was holding his rally.

Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, according to a local media report and a video of the school’s commencement.

He was registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age, and a Bethel Park address that law enforcement was searching Saturday night and is linked to Crooks in public records.

This year’s presidential election would have been the first he was old enough to vote in.

Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the same address gave $15 to a Democratic-aligned political action committee called the Progressive Turnout Project in January 2021.

When reached by CNN late Saturday night, Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, said he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.

What we know about the gunman, the victims and the investigation
From CNN Staff

Former President Donald Trump is surrounded by Secret Service agents after a gunman fired multiple shots, including one that Trump says hit him in the ear, at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Gene J. Puskar/AP

Authorities have named the gunman and shared details about the casualties from the shooting that took place Saturday afternoon at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Here’s the latest:

The gunman: The FBI identified him as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who lived in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles south of the rally location. He was killed at the scene by Secret Service agents. Public records show he was registered to vote as a Republican, but made a small donation to a Democratic-aligned group in 2021.
Further threats: Authorities at a news conference said they don’t currently believe there are any additional existing threats, but that its still an active investigation and it’s too early to conclusively say it was a lone wolf attack.
The casualties: The shooting left one attendee dead and two others critically injured, authorities say. All three were adult men. Though they have been identified by authorities, those details have not yet been publicly shared.
Trump’s status: A spokesperson said Trump is “fine,” and the Secret Service said he was safe. The former president said on social media that he was hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.” In the early hours of Sunday morning, Trump flew back to Newark, New Jersey.
The investigation: Multiple federal and state agencies are now investigating what happened, how the shooter accessed his location, what weapon was used and other questions that have not yet been publicly answered. The FBI has asked the public to submit any information, photos or videos related to the shooting at FBI.gov/butler or to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Biden hurries back: President Joe Biden was in Delaware at the time of the shooting, where he had planned to stay for the weekend — but he flew back to the White House early Sunday morning so he can continue being briefed by law enforcement. Earlier, he said he’d spoken with Trump, and publicly condemned the shooting.

FAA implements temporary flight restrictions over Bethel Park for “security reasons”
From CNN’s Paradise Afshar

The Federal Aviation Administration implemented temporary flight restrictions over Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, due to “special security reasons,” according to its website.

The restriction went into effect at 2:05 a.m. ET Sunday and will be effective until 5 a.m. ET, the agency said.

The FBI previously said the gunman who fired shots at former President Donald Trump’s rally, Thomas Matthew Crooks, lived in Bethel Park. The restrictions come as authorities in Pennsylvania investigate the shooting that left Trump injured, one attendee dead and two others critically injured.

CNN has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration for more information on what prompted the restrictions.

Law enforcement experts raise questions over unsecured roof where gunman fired at Trump rally
By CNN’s Dalia Faheid

Two former FBI agents have expressed surprise that the rooftop where a gunman fired multiple shots at a Trump rally had not been secured given how close it was to the stage.

Authorities say the building rooftop where the gunman fired the shots from was just outside the venue where former President Donald Trump held a rally Saturday. A CNN analysis showed the rooftop was about 400 to 500 feet (120 to 150 meters) from Trump.

The FBI identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He was killed by Secret Service agents.

Steve Moore, a retired FBI supervisory special agent who worked as a counter sniper for two years, told CNN the rooftop should have been guarded.

Another retired FBI field agent, Bobby Chacon, also told CNN Sunday he was surprised no one was guarding the rooftop, which he called “the perfect perch.”

“That building… is the closest building with a clear line of sight to where the stage was. I’m shocked that they didn’t have somebody on that roof,” Chacon said.

Moore said that “the fact that somebody allowed that roof to be unmonitored, unguarded” could have been a flaw in planning or execution.

“They could have planned for that roof and maybe something happened in the planning or in the execution of the plan where it was left unguarded,” he said.

While Secret Service agents may have been alerted to the location of the shooter, they could have had a “very obstructed view,” Moore added.

“You can’t just say, ‘Oh there’s somebody over there on a roof’ and shoot them,” Moore said. “What they’re going to be doing is looking, waiting, until they see a weapon. The problem is, in that area on the roof, there could have been a slight wall covering him, hiding him.”

Moore says he expects “drastic changes” in security procedures as a result of the shooting, including extending perimeters and securing rally venues more carefully.

“There are just too many ways that you can improve that situation,” Moore said. “That said, the secret service has to be right every single time, every single rally of every single candidate of every single month, every single year, they’ve got to be perfect. The bad guys only have to be lucky or right one time. So it’s going to happen, you just want to eliminate as many means that it could happen as possible.”

Trump rally shooter was registered Republican who made $15 donation to Democratic-aligned group

From CNN’s Casey Tolan, Curt Devine, Majlie de Puy Kamp, Kyung Lah and Audrey Ash

The gunman who authorities say attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump was a 20-year-old registered Republican who had previously made a small contribution to a Democratic-aligned group, according to public records.

Thomas Matthew Crooks lived in the Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park, about 35 miles south of the Trump rally where law enforcement officials say he fired at the former president.

He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, according to a local media report and a video of the school’s commencement.

Crooks was registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age, and a Bethel Park address that law enforcement was searching Saturday night and is linked to Crooks in public records. This year’s presidential election would have been the first he was old enough to vote in.

The shooting: Crooks fired on Trump while perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter, before being killed by Secret Service agents, according to law enforcement officials.

He didn’t have any identification on his body, so agents had to “run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said at a press conference Saturday night before Crooks was named.

One attendee at the rally was killed and two others critically injured.

FBI identifies Trump rally shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks
From CNN’s Evan Perez

The FBI has named Thomas Matthew Crooks as the gunman involved in the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

Read the FBI’s full statement:

“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

Trump campaign managers say campaign is ramping up security following rally shooting
From CNN’s Pam Brown

A monitor displays news from former US President Donald Trump’s rally, ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday, July 13.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign managers said the campaign will be employing additional security measures after he was injured at a rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita told staffers in a new memo that they “remain horrified” at the attack. They added that they “hope that this horrendous act will bring our team, and indeed the nation, together in unity and we must renew our commitment to safety and peace for our country.”

“We condemn all forms of violence, and will not tolerate dangerous rhetoric on social media,” the memo continued.

The campaign managers said the Republican National Convention will continue as planned in Milwaukee, “where we will nominate our President to be the brave and fearless nominee of our Party.”

“In moments of tragedy and horror, we must be resolute in our mission to reelect President Trump,” the memo reads.

Analysis: Attack on Trump reopens a chilling chapter in American politics
From CNN’s Stephen Collinson

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally on July 13
Evan Vucci/AP

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump, which opens a dark new chapter in America’s cursed story of political violence, shook a nation already deeply estranged during one of the most tense periods of its modern history.

The targeting of a former president at a campaign rally just days before he accepts the Republican nomination is, by definition, an attack on democracy and the right of each American to choose their leaders.

The presumptive GOP nominee was on stage, with supporters as usual behind him in bleachers holding up posters and wearing their MAGA regalia, when shots rang out. He flinched, then grabbed the side of his face and disappeared behind his podium as people started to scream and the surreal nature of what was happening began to dawn.

The ex-president later said that he felt a bullet rip through the skin of his ear, which poured with blood as he was rushed from the scene. The shots fired by a gunman on a roof outside the perimeter of his rally at Butler, Pennsylvania, came a fraction of an inch from being a lot worse.

A photograph by Evan Vucci of the Associated Press of a defiant but alive Trump – with blood on his ear and cheek, being rushed off stage by Secret Service agents, fist raised with an American flag in the background – became instantly iconic. The image will define a fraught political age, whatever the so-far unknowable political aftermath of a sunny afternoon that turned into a nightmare.

Biden arrives at White House before morning briefing on rally shooting
From CNN’s Nikki Carvajal

President Joe Biden steps into the Presidential limousine after exiting Air Force One as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on July 14.
Tom Brenner/Reuters

President Joe Biden, who was planning to stay in Delaware for the weekend, has returned to the White House earlier than planned so he can continue receiving briefings from law enforcement on the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.

Biden spoke with Trump after the shooting. Biden said earlier he was grateful Trump was safe. He condemned the shooting and called for the country to unite, saying: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence.”

He was originally scheduled to stay in Delaware until Monday and fly directly to Texas for events.

“Tomorrow morning at the White House, he will receive an updated briefing from homeland security and law enforcement officials,” a White House official said in a statement Saturday.

The FBI hadn’t denied any additional security requests from Trump team, agency says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

There was no additional request for security that was denied to former President Donald Trump’s team for his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, said Kevin Rojek, the FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office.

“There was no additional request for security that was ever denied by the FBI,” he said at a news conference in Butler earlier tonight.

Rojek said the FBI had been monitoring the event, and took over primary jurisdiction over the investigation when the shooting happened.

Rep. Steve Scalise says rally shooting brought back memories of 2017 attack that severely injured him
From CNN’s Andrew Millman

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise joins fellow House Republican leaders during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on November 7, 2017, approximately five months after he was wounded by a shooter at a congressional baseball practice.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/File

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said the shooting during former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania Saturday brought back his memories of a shooting in 2017 that left him severely injured.

“A lot of those memories come back. When you hear the video, the audio especially, with the pop-pop-pop, it was very similar,” Scalise told Fox News. “With the first one or two shots, you’re not thinking it’s a gun that’s shot, but then by the third one or beyond, it’s clear what’s going on.”

Scalise was shot in Alexandria, Virginia, during a Republican early-morning practice ahead of a charity baseball game. Scalise was in critical condition after suffering damage to internal organs. Federal law enforcement officials identified the alleged shooter as James Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Illinois, who died following a shootout with authorities. At least six people were hospitalized following the shooting.

The Louisiana congressman said the rally shooting “easily could have gone the other way.”

“This was an assassination attempt,” he said. “Clearly, we’re going to have a lot of questions on this.”

Scalise called for an in-depth investigation and “beefed up security.”

“I want to hear how serious they’re taking this threat,” Scalise said, adding “I want to see a very stern and serious focus” from investigato

FBI establishes tip line for public to share information about Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh field office speaks as Deputy Commissioner of Operations Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens and Pennsylvania State Police Colonel Christopher Paris look on, at a press conference at a police station in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters

The FBI has set up a tip line and website for anyone with information, video, or pictures related to the shooting at a rally for former President Donald Trump on Saturday.

The website for tips is www.FBI.gov/Butler, said Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, in a press conference earlier this evening.

Rojek said the Secret Service oversaw securing the scene of the shooting. The FBI, state police and other local assets were there as support.

“In their (the Secret Service’s) defense … it is incredibly difficult to have a venue open to the public and secure that against any possible threat against a very determined attacker,” said Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens at the news conference.

The investigation is ongoing and the location is still an active crime scene, authorities said.

Trump’s plane lands at Newark airport
From CNN’s Kristen Holmes

In a screengrab taken from a video, former President Donald Trump deplanes in Newark, New Jersey on July 14, following the shooting at his Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally.
Margo Martin/Trump campaign

Former President Donald Trump’s plane landed at Newark airport in New Jersey on Sunday morning, according to a source familiar.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said late Saturday night that Trump had left the Butler, Pennsylvania, area following the rally shooting.

“Under the protection of US Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police, former President Trump has now left the Butler area,” Shapiro said in a statement posted to X. “Lori and I are thankful that his team reports that he is fine and we continue to wish him a full and speedy recovery.”

Trump campaign deputy communications director Margo Martin posted a video of Trump disembarking from a plane in Newark, writing on X: “Strong and resilient. He will never stop fighting for America.”

International leaders share shock, condolences and condemnation after Trump rally shooting
From CNN Staff

The shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania has sparked an outpouring of messages from world leaders expressing their concern and denouncing the attack.

Here are a few messages, some excerpted:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky: “I am appalled to learn about the shooting of former U.S. President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania. Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail. I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: “Just learnt that former President Trump was shot at an election rally. This is a shocking development. I condemn all violence in politics. Wish the former President swift recovery and good health.”
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.: “It is with great relief that we receive the news that former President Donald Trump is fine and well after the attempt to assasinate him. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. Together with all democracy loving peoples around the world, we condemn all forms of political violence. The voice of the people must always remain supreme.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon: “I’m shocked by the events at Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally today. My thoughts are with the former President, his family, and the victims of this attack. No country should encounter such political violence.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “Deeply concerned by the attack on my friend, former President Donald Trump. Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased, those injured and the American people.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “This was an inexcusable attack under the democratic values that Australians and Americans share and the freedom that we treasure. These values are ones that unite our two countries.”
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (also known as William Lai): “My thoughts and prayers are with former US President Trump and I wish him a swift recovery. Political violence of any form is never acceptable in our democracies. I offer my sincere condolences to the victims affected by the attack.”
All casualties were adult men, with one killed and two critically wounded, say police
From CNN staff

Speaking at a news conference in Butler, Pennsylvania, authorities said the victims of the shooting have been identified but those details are not yet being publicly shared.

The shooting, which took place at former President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday afternoon, left one attendee dead and two more critically injured. The gunman was also killed by Secret Service agents.

All three were adult men, said Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police.

“We have notified a number of family members, but they have not had an opportunity to notify extended family,” he said.

The gunshots had been “scattered,” and weren’t hitting just one location in the crowd, he added.

It is “surprising” gunman fired multiple shots without authorities being aware of his position, FBI says
From CNN staff

In a news conference, Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office, said it was “surprising” the gunman was able to fire multiple shots during the rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

One reporter asked: “It sounds like law enforcement only knew (the gunman was on the roof) when shots were fired. Is that what you’re hearing?”
Rojek answered: “That is the assessment at this time.”

“We’re still working through the security apparatus that the Secret Service had in place, what potentially happened,” he added.

“There’s going to be a long investigation into exactly what took place and how the individual was able to get access to the location, what type of weapon he had. All that is really days, weeks, and months of investigation.”

Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police added that the investigation would allow authorities to “take a look at where any failures occurred and what can be done better in the future.”

Bomb-clearing assets deployed at shooting site in abundance of caution, FBI says
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office, speaks during a press conference on Saturday, July 13.
WPXI

Bomb-clearing assets were deployed at the scene of the shooting out of an “abundance of caution,” said the FBI in a Saturday evening news conference following the shooting at a rally for former President Donald Trump.

“It’s primarily standard procedure of any suspicious packages, In this case there was identification of suspicious package around where the shooter was and so we deployed, in an abundance of caution, bomb assets to make sure those were cleared for investigators to move safely in the area,” said Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office.

He did not going into specifics of what those packages were, but said any packages had to be treated as if it were an explosive device.

Rojek said the crime scene is still active.

FBI is trying to confirm the suspect’s identity through biometrics and DNA
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch and Jessie Yeung

Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh office, said in a news conference that the agency is working on identifying the gunman through “doing biometric confirmations” because the suspect did not carry identification on him.

“We’re looking at photographs right now, and we’re trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” he said.

When asked whether authorities knew what kind of gun was used or how many shots were fired, Rojek said authorities did not have that information. Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police followed up by saying that officials had “a good idea of what the weapon was” but that it was still part of the investigation.

Authorities are also investigating how the shooting took place — including reports by eyewitnesses that they saw the gunman climbing up a roof.

A witness told BBC News he saw the suspect on the roof with a rifle and tried to notify police before the incident. CNN cannot independently verify his account.

Bivens said that officials were aware of this testimony and that “law enforcement had responded to a number of reports of suspicious activity.”

Secret Service was not present for Saturday night news conference on rally shooting
CNN staff

The Secret Service wasn’t available for Saturday night’s news conference on the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, FBI Special Agent In Charge Kevin Rojek told reporters.

Law enforcement personnel frequently deferred questions to the Secret Service during the news conference, which was held late Saturday night at the Butler Township Police Department.

After the shooting happened, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said he contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and called on Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing.

FBI says it’s “close” to identifying shooter but has not identified a motive

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

The FBI said it is “close” to identifying the shooter in what it called an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania.

Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said at a news conference Saturday night that the agency is close to confirming the identity of the shooter but is not releasing the individual’s name at this time.

Authorities said the suspect had no identification on him, which is slowing down the process. Rojek said they are doing biometric confirmation as well as running the shooter’s DNA and looking at photographs.

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Colonel George Bivens said that they plan to release information on what caused delays in identifying the shooter.

“We have one shooter tentatively identified, but we’re not stopping there. We’re following up on a lot of information. It will be sometime before we can conclusively answer that question,” Bivens said when asked if this was a lone wolf attack.

Rojek added that the FBI has not yet identified the shooter’s motive.

Authorities said they believe there is no other threat.

FBI says the shooting was an assassination attempt against Trump

Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, speaks during a press conference on Friday, July 13.
WPXI

The FBI has called the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday night an attempted assassination.

“This evening, we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt against our former President Donald Trump. It’s still an active crime scene,” said Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, speaking at a news conference in Butler, Pennsylvania.

He said authorities are “working feverishly to attempt to identify the individual who did this and any motives behind why this was done,” and asked the public to reach out with any information that might help.

The FBI has deployed investigative agents, evidence response teams, and other personnel from across the country, he said.

There does not seem to be any additional threat, but FBI and state police are still investigating, authorities say

Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police speaks during a press conference on Saturday, July 13.
WPXI

Authorities told a news conference Saturday night that they were “close” to identifying the gunman involved in the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally, but were not yet prepared to identify him formally and had not yet determined a motive.

“At this time we have no reason to believe that there is any other existing threat out there,” said Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police, speaking from Butler, where the shooting took place.

“If there is any information developed that anyone else was involved, that between (the state police) and the FBI, that will very quickly be followed up on,” he added.

Suspect in shooting at Trump rally did not have ID, sources say
From CNN’s Whitney Wild and Evan Perez

The suspected shooter at the Donald Trump rally did not have identification, according to multiple law enforcement sources. The gunman is dead.

Senators Rick Scott and Josh Hawley call for investigation into Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi

Two Republican senators on the Senate Homeland Security Committee called for an investigation and a hearing on the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri posted on X that the committee “must investigate this assassination attempt and attempted mass murder and get to the bottom of how it could have happened.”

Fellow GOP Sen. Rick Scott is demanding the Senate panel hold a hearing on the shooting before August 1, saying it’s “absolutely inexcusable that the deranged would-be assassin had a direct line of sight to the former president and the leading candidate for President of the United States.”

“The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) has an oversight responsibility and an obligation to the American people to demand answers from DHS and the U.S. Secret Service on how this happened and what steps are being taken to investigate this assassination attempt and make sure it never happens again,” the Florida congressman said in a statement.

Both Hawley and Scott sit on the Senate panel, chaired by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Trump left the Butler area

From CNN’s Kit Maher

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said former President Donald Trump has left the Butler, Pennsylvania, area following the rally shooting Saturday.

“We mourn the loss of life and pray for the two victims who are being treated at this time,” he added. “I am grateful for all law enforcement who responded, protected the former president, and worked to bring the situation under control.”

Federal law enforcement officials will continue to lead on the investigation into the shooting, Shapiro said. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania State Police will lead the investigation into the shooting of the other victims. Shapiro said he has been communicating with law enforcement on the ground in Pennsylvania and has spoken with President Joe Biden, who “offered his full support.”

Shapiro said he knows “how painful and shocking this event is to so many of our fellow Pennsylvanians.” He asked “that we treat our fellow Americans with respect and join together to universally condemn the unacceptable violence we witnessed earlier today in Butler.”

Trump’s Secret Service protection was recently strengthened, sources say
From CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Dana Bash

Former President Donald Trump’s Secret Service protection was strengthened recently, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.

Trump was first granted Secret Service protection in November 2015, and expressed relief at the time.

At the rally on Saturday, the gunman was killed by Secret Service agents.

Pennsylvania police to give news conference shortly on Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Sara Smart

Police and other law enforcement personnel will hold a news conference at the Butler Township Police Department at 11:45 p.m. ET, according to Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bertha Cazy.

State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens, members of the FBI and Secret Service will be in attendance at the news conference, Cazy said.

CNN will be covering the news conference live here.

Not yet clear what impact the shooting will have on RNC security plans
From Whitney Wild

People walk outside the Fiserv Forum ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention, Saturday, July 13, in Milwaukee.
Alex Brandon/AP

It’s not yet clear what impact Saturday’s shooting will have on security plans for the Republican National Convention, scheduled to begin Monday in Milwaukee, according to a source familiar with planning for the event.

The incident is being reviewed, the source added.

Reince Priebus, the convention’s committee chair – also a former Trump administration chief of staff – said on Saturday night that the event was going ahead, with guests already beginning to arrive in Wisconsin.

And Trump is still planning to attend, say his advisors.

“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” said a joint statement from his campaign advisors and the convention chairs.

Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson says his nephew was “grazed in the neck” during Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Andrew Millman

Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas said that his nephew was injured during the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

In an interview with Fox News, Jackson said his nephew “was grazed in the neck, a bullet crossed his neck, cut his neck and he was bleeding.”

During the rally, his nephew was in “the friends and family pen which is to the president’s right, down a little bit lower,” Jackson said.

The congressman called it a “horrific, horrific experience.”

Those around Trump say he has long feared an attempt on his life
From CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Jeff Zeleny

As his family and allies are still reeling from the shock of tonight’s shooting, former President Donald Trump has pledged to continue with next week’s scheduled convention in Milwaukee, where he’ll become the Republican Party’s official nominee.

He has spent the evening checking in with his immediate family after being taken to Butler Memorial Hospital, and then was in touch with President Joe Biden.

Surrounded by Secret Service agents onstage after the shooting, Trump mouthed the word “Fight” three times to his crowd of supporters and then, according to a source who witnessed it, did a fist-bump before ducking into his motorcade.

But this moment highlights something he has long feared: an attempt on his life.

Since he became a presidential candidate, Trump was always hyperfocused on his security and preparations.

Trump expressed relief when he was first granted Secret Service protection in November 2015, and he thinks highly of the agents who have surrounded him before, during and after his time in the White House.

Trump sends short, defiant email to supporters: “I will never surrender!”

Former President Donald Trump has sent an email to his supporters with a short but defiant message after he was injured during a shooting at his rally Saturday night in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM DONALD TRUMP,” the brief email read. “I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!”

The email signed off with his signature and portrait.

The gunman was a few hundred feet away from Trump, according to CNN analysis
From CNN staff

Former President Donald Trump was about 400 to 500 feet (120 to 150 meters) from the suspected gunman at the time of the shooting, according to CNN’s analysis of their geolocated positions.

Trump had been holding his rally at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday afternoon.

The gunman fired multiple shots from an “elevated position” outside the rally, according to the Secret Service. Law enforcement sources told CNN the shooter was on a building rooftop just outside the rally venue.

The gunman was killed by Secret Service personnel, according to the agency.

Here’s what we know about the Trump rally shootingFrom CNN’s Jessie Yeung

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage.
Gene J. Puskar/AP

A shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally has prompted an outpouring of concern and condemnation from across the world as authorities investigate the incident. Here’s what we know so far:

What happened: The shooting took place Saturday afternoon at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The gunman fired multiple shots from an “elevated position” outside the rally before he was killed by Secret Service personnel, the agency said. Police sources say the shooter was on a building rooftop. Videos show Trump being quickly whisked away by security personnel with blood on his face.
Eyewitness testimonies: Rally attendees described the aftermath as “pandemonium,” with widespread confusion. Some initially thought the sounds had been fireworks, while others described seeing people hit by gunfire.
Casualties: The incident left at least one audience member dead and two other attendees critically injured, according to the Secret Service. The gunman is also dead.
Trump’s status: A spokesperson said Trump is “fine,” and the Secret Service said he was safe. The former president said on social media that he was hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.”
Investigation: Multiple federal agencies are now involved, with the FBI on the scene. Law enforcement officials say the shooting is being investigated as a possible assassination attempt.
Biden’s statement: President Joe Biden spoke with Trump after the shooting. Biden said earlier he was grateful Trump was safe. He condemned the shooting and called for the country to unite, saying: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence.” Biden is returning to the White House from Delaware early to continue being briefed on the shooting.
World reacts: US and global leaders have also weighed in to denounce the shooting and express their condolences for victims.
Carter Center calls on “all Americans to embrace civility” following Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess

The Carter Center, a nonprofit founded by former President Jimmy Carter, condemned violence and called for civility following the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

“The Carter Center condemns the violence that took place at former President Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania. While we don’t know all the facts, we do know that all Americans should be able to gather peaceably without fear of violence,” a statement from the Carter Center said.

“Our thoughts are with President Trump and all those affected by this horrific act, and we call on all Americans to embrace civility in our democratic processes,” the statement continued.

House of Representatives will conduct “full investigation” of shooting, says speaker
From CNN’s Manu Raju

House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to conduct a “full investigation” of the shooting in a statement on X on Saturday.

“The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” he wrote.

The shooting is being investigated as a possible assassination attempt, according to law enforcement officials.

Butler mayor said Biden offered full support to city in wake of rally shooting

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

Butler Mayor Robert Dandoy told CNN he was offered full support from the White House in a conversation with President Joe Biden after the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday night.

During their conversation, Dandoy said Biden offered his condolences to the city, located in western Pennsylvania.

“He offered anything they can do for us, and I offered the same,” Dandoy told CNN.

Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Trump on Saturday, according to the White House.

Biden speaks with Trump after shooting, White House says
From CNN’s Nikki Carvajal

President Joe Biden spoke with Donald Trump on Saturday following the shooting at the former president’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the White House said.

Biden also spoke with also spoke to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy.

“Tonight, the President is returning to Washington DC. Tomorrow morning at the White House, he will receive an updated briefing from homeland security and law enforcement officials,” a White House official said in a statemen

Rep. Daniel Meuser, who witnessed rally shooting from front row, calls it a “bloody scene”
From CNN’s Rebekah Riess

Rep. Daniel Meuser of Pennsylvania told CNN he was sitting in the front row of Donald Trump’s rally with Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick and Rep. Mike Kelly when chaos ensued.

“Everybody started, certainly, screaming, asking for a medic, and honestly, it was a bloody scene,” Meuser said.

Meuser said it started out like a regular rally and “next thing you know … there was rapid fire,” he said. “It was pretty obvious, after the second or third gunshot, what was happening.”

Meuser added that “a lot of people were very panicked” but “they settled down after a little while, particularly when President Trump, honestly, stood up and gave thumbs-up.”

The congressman also made a plea for civility going forward, saying, “We’ve really got to remove the hostility. I think everybody agrees — we need to cool things down.”

Biden returning to White House earlier than planned
From CNN’s Nikki Carvajal and MJ Lee

President Joe Biden will return to the White House from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, earlier than planned, according to a statement from White House officials.

Biden is scheduled to arrive at the White House at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, the statement said.

He was originally scheduled to stay in Delaware until Monday and fly directly to Texas for events. He is returning to the White House so he can continue to receive briefings from law enforcement, a senior administration official said.

This post has been updated with additional information.

RFK Jr. reflects on JFK, RFK assassinations following Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Aaron Pellish

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reflected on his experience around the assassinations of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, and his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, during an interview Saturday following the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally.

Kennedy said in an interview with NewsNation that he understands the impact of the incident at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, “probably as well as anyone does” and that he hopes people will condemn the violent attack on the former president.

Kennedy witnessed his father’s assassination at a campaign event in Los Angeles when he was 14.

“I’ve been through this before with my own family. I was with my dad when he died in Los Angeles. … My message to people is we need to all renounce violence. We need to renounce not just violence, but the hatred and vitriol,” he said.

Kennedy said he believes there are similarities between the current political moment and the 1960s, when his father, his uncle and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. were killed amid heightened political and racial turmoil.

“When my uncle was killed in 1963, there was this kind of division,” he said. “When my father was killed, it was amidst of a time that was probably the most divisive in American history at that time since the American Civil War. And we’re back into that kind of milieu today.”

Kennedy said he sympathizes with Trump’s family and offered condolences to the family of the rally attendee who died on Saturday.

Eyewitness tells BBC he saw gunman climbing up building with rifle, tried to warn police

From CNN’s Jessie Yeung

An eyewitness outside the rally where former President Donald Trump was injured in a shooting said he saw the gunman climb up a roof and tried to warn police.

“We noticed the guy crawling, bear crawling, up the roof of the building beside us, 50 feet away from us,” the witness told BBC News on Saturday after the incident.

“We’re standing there, we’re pointing at the guy crawling up the roof. … We can clearly see him with a rifle,” he said. He added that they notified police in the vicinity and that officers “didn’t know what was going on.”

“I’m thinking to myself, ‘Why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off the stage?’ I’m standing there pointing at him for two, three minutes, Secret Service is looking at us from the top of the barn, I’m pointing at that roof, just standing there like this, and next thing you know, five shots ring out,” he said.

CNN cannot independently verify his account.

John Miller, CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, said the testimony raises many “serious questions.”

“There’s going to be an extraordinarily, excruciatingly detailed examination about who knew what, how was this communicated, and who determined to take what action or not take what action,” he said.

Here are the US presidents, former presidents and candidates who have survived assassination attempts
From CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf

Former President Donald Trump fell to the ground Saturday, clutching his face after what sounded like gunfire at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Blood could be seen on his face as he was carried away by Secret Service.

Multiple presidents and former presidents and candidates for president have been attacked in US history, according to a CNN report from 2011 and a list of instances of political violence that includes attacks on senators, congressmen and governors compiled by CNN’s research library.

President Andrew Jackson: In the pre-Civil War era, he was shot at while attending a funeral in the Capitol. The shooter fired twice, but the gun failed.
President Theodore Roosevelt: Like Trump, he was trying to get his old job back during the 1912 campaign. He was shot on the way to a speech in Milwaukee by a saloon keeper.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt: He was president-elect when a would-be assassin fired at him in Miami in 1933. The shooter, Guiseppe Zangara, missed Roosevelt but killed Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak.
President Harry Truman: He took over the presidency after Roosevelt died and was shot at across from the White House by Puerto Rican nationalists in 1950.
Alabama Gov. George Wallace: The segregationist was running for president for the third time in 1972, and was shot after a campaign event outside Washington, DC. The shooting left him paralyzed from the waist down.
President Gerald Ford: He faced two assassination attempts in quick succession in 1975.
President Ronald Reagan: He was shot in 1981 outside the Hilton in Washington, DC, after giving a speech. His press secretary, James Brady, was more seriously wounded than Reagan and later became an activist for gun control.
President Barack Obama: An Idaho man was charged with the attempted assassination of Obama when he fired shots at the White House in 2011.
Four presidents — Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy — have been assassinated.

Trump is “doing well” and looks forward to the RNC in Milwaukee, advisers say
From CNN staff

Advisers to former President Trump say he is “doing well” and “looks forward” to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.

Here’s the full statement from campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, RNC Chair Michael Whatley and RNC Co-Chair Lara Trump:

“As was communicated earlier this evening, President Trump is doing well and grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their fast action. President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States. As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”

Biden told staff he wanted to address the nation, source says
From CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez

President Joe Biden told his staff that he wanted to address the nation as soon as he was briefed, according to a source familiar.

Biden delivered remarks from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, around two hours after the shooting unfolded, condemning political violence and saying that former President Donald Trump’s rally should have been able to be “conducted peacefully without any problem.”

CNN previously reported that Biden was at mass when the shooting at Trump’s rally unfolded and learned after the fact.

He’s since been routinely briefed by senior US officials.

Law enforcement sources say shooter was positioned on building rooftop just outside rally
From CNN’s Evan Perez and Alayna Treene

A law enforcement source and a police officer at the scene told CNN the shooter was positioned on a building rooftop just outside the venue where former President Donald Trump was holding his rally.

The source said the building was the same one where CNN observed a heavy police presence. The building is positioned over where the former president’s right shoulder was during the rally.

Biden closely tracking rally shooting, White House says
From CNN’s MJ Lee & Arlette Saenz

President Joe Biden’s chief of staff sent a brief note to White House staff Saturday evening, saying the president is “closely” tracking the situation around the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally, according to the note obtained by CNN.

White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients also shared with his team the brief statement Biden sent earlier in the evening.

“Hi team – I wanted to share President Biden’s statement on the shooting that occurred today. The President is tracking this closely and will continue to provide updates,” Zients said.

President Biden’s statement, included in the brief note, said:

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. 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.”

International support for Trump pours in after Pennsylvania rally shooting
From CNN staff

International leaders are writing messages of support on social media after former President Donald Trump was injured at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Sara and I were shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump. We pray for his safety and speedy.”
Honduran President Xiomara Castro de Zelaya: “Violence generates more violence. I am sorry for what is happening in the United States electoral process. My solidarity with @realDonaldTrump.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán: “My thoughts and prayers are with President @realDonaldTrump in these dark hours.”
The UK prime minister’s office: “We are shocked by the scenes at President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time.”
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida: “We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy. I pray for former President Trump’s speedy recovery.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles: “Shocked by the news of the attack on President Trump, which I strongly condemn. Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives.”
House Oversight Committee chair calls for Secret Service director to appear for a hearing
From CNN’s Annie Grayer

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said he has contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and is calling on Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing.

The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon, Comer said in a statement Saturday night.

“I thank the brave Secret Service members who put their lives at risk to protect President Trump and for the American patriots in the audience who helped innocent victims,” the Kentucky Republican said. “Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers.”

Secretary of state says he’s “shocked and saddened” by Trump rally shooting
From CNN’s Jennifer Hansler

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he is “shocked and saddened by the shooting at former President Trump’s rally and grateful that he is safe.”

“As @POTUS said, there is no place for political violence in America and we must all condemn it,” Blinken posted on X Saturday.

DHS is “taking every measure” to ensure safety of Biden and Trump, Mayorkas says
From CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas condemned Saturday’s shooting at the Trump rally and said the agency, which includes the US Secret Service, is working to ensure the safety of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Mayorkas, who has been briefing Biden, said in a statement:

“We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today. We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.

Republican National Convention will proceed on schedule, official says

From CNN’s Jeff Zeleny

The Republican National Convention will open Monday as scheduled, a party official said.

The shooting at Donald Trump’s rally Saturday night will not alter plans to formally nominate the former president in Milwaukee.

“The convention will continue as planned,” a senior Republican official told CNN Saturday night.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemns shooting at Trump rally
From CNN’s Haley Britzky

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Saturday that the entire Defense Department “condemns this violence, which has absolutely no place in our democracy,” following a shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.

“This is not the way that we resolve our differences in America—and it must never be,” he said in a statement posted on X.

“I’m relieved that reports indicate former President Trump is safe, and I am praying for him and his family and everyone affected by this appalling incident.”

White House official describes shock among administration: “It is just really horrible”
From CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez and Camila DeChalus

The mood inside the White House is “shock” as officials responded to the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday afternoon, according to a senior administration official.

“It is just really horrible,” the official said, adding that authorities sought “to be responsive and serious.”

“It should never happen. It’s unconscionable,” they told CNN.

Speaking from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on Saturday evening, President Joe Biden blasted political violence, telling reporters: “There is no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick, it’s sick, it’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”

Biden said he’s been trying to get in touch with Trump.

CNN previously reported that only minutes after the shooting, Biden campaign officials huddled and decided to cease outbound communications as well as pull television ads.

1 rally attendee is dead and 2 are critically injured, Secret Service says
From CNN’s Evan Perez

One rally attendee is dead and two are critically injured after a shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night, according to Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the US Secret Service.

The shooter is also deceased, Guglielmi said in a statement.

Earlier, the agency said the shooter had fired multiple shots from an “elevated position” outside the rally before Secret Service personnel “neutralized” the shooter.

Ivanka Trump thanks supporters for “love and prayers” following shooting
From CNN’s Ali Main

Former President Trump’s daughter Ivanka has released a statement on X, thanking law enforcement for their swift response.

“Thank you for your love and prayers for my father and for the other victims of today’s senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania. I am grateful to the Secret Service and all the other law enforcement officers for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our country.
I love you Dad, today and always,” she wrote.

In a statement on Truth Social earlier, the former president said he’d been shot and hit by a bullet in the upper part of his right ear, and extended his condolences to the rally attendee who was killed.

Heavy police presence around building next to rally venue
From CNN’s Alayna Treene and Alejandra Jaramillo

Police activity seen at a building near the venue where the rally took place.
CNN

There is a clear and heavy police presence outside of the rally venue where the shooting took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to reporting from CNN teams on the ground.

The entire building located to the left of the venue is cordoned off with more than a dozen police cars, some of which are state troopers, and others that are part of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

There is at least one ambulance outside of the building.

One officer who spoke with CNN would not explain why law enforcement was focused on this area.

Shooter fired multiple shots from “elevated position” outside of Trump rally, Secret Service says
From CNN’s Evan Perez

Debris litters the empty rally site after shots were fired at former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Evan Vucci/AP

A shooter fired multiple shots from an “elevated position” outside of the Trump rally before United States Secret Service personnel “neutralized” the shooter, the law enforcement agency said.

“During Former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the evening of July 13 at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue,” the Secret Service statement said.

Secret Service personnel “neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” the statement continued.

“U.S. Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and Former President Trump is safe. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured. This incident is currently under investigation. and the Secret Service has notified the FBI,” Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, said in a statement.

“I saw the immediate attack” from front row, says Senate Republican candidate Dave McCormick
From CNN’s Emma Tucker

Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row at Donald Trump’s rally Saturday, said he saw the “immediate attack on the president” and a person behind him who appeared to be severely injured.

McCormick told CNN on air that the former president had just invited him onstage, when about a minute later he heard “a serious of shots — about seven or eight shots — just ‘pop, pop, pop.’”

“It was all of a sudden just chaos. The Secret Service immediately covered the president, jumped on top of him, and the crowd immediately went to the ground,” McCormick said.

The Senate candidate said he looked over his shoulder and “it was clear that somebody had been hit.” People around the person were trying to administer first aid, he said, as it took several minutes for medical assistance to get into the crowd because it was so dense.

“But you can imagine with that kind of incident happening, it’s very hard to know what’s coming. … It seemed like the shots were coming from my front — so the president’s left — which makes sense why the person behind me was hit. But I’m not sure if there were also shots coming from the other direction, so as you might imagine it was chaotic and confusing in the moment,” McCormick said.

McCormick said he and all of the roughly 15,000 attendees in the crowd went through metal detector screening before they entered the rally.

Trump rally speaker describes helping attendee who was shot
From CNN’s Kate Sullivan

Rico Elmore, who was a speaker at former President Donald Trump’s rally, described jumping over the barrier and putting his hand on the head of an attendee who was shot and bleeding.

“All we know is shots were fired and then I jumped over the barrier and put my hand on the guy’s head that was profusely bleeding,” Elmore told CNN as he left the rally stage Saturday night.

The injured attendee was “just a stranger” Elmore didn’t know, he said.

Elmore was visibly shaken up, with blood on his shirt, but said he was not harmed. He said he only saw one attendee hit and did not see what happened to Trump.

Donald Trump Jr. says he spoke to his father and that he’s “in great spirits”
From CNN’s Kaitlan Collins

Donald Trump Jr. said in a statement that he “just spoke to my father on the phone and he is in great spirits.”

“He will never stop fighting to save America, no matter what the radical left throws at him,” he added.

“We haven’t seen this since Reagan,” Butler County district attorney says
From CNN’s Raja Razek

Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “We haven’t seen this since Reagan,” after the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

“It is mind-blowing,” Goldinger added. “Maybe we got a little lackadaisical about it — that this wouldn’t happen to a president or former president, but it’s crazy. … Sadly, maybe it’s just the state of our current political situation.”

When speaking about Butler County, which is north of Pittsburgh, Goldinger said: “You just wouldn’t even think it would happen—especially in, where I live in Butler County. You would not expect this.”

As for the scene, the DA said, “I have been told it is chaos, and I can’t even give you a number of people that are there … it is really crazy right now.”

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Trump says he was shot in the “upper part of my right ear”
From CNN’s Kristen Holmes

Former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage by Secret Service agents during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump said he was shot and hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.”

Trump said in a Truth Social statement he “knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”

Read Trump’s full statement below:

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”