On Saturday, July 13, personal supporters and television audiences heard what sounded like gunfire as Donald Trump addressed a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania. Moments later, as Secret Service agents rushed the stage, Trump’s face appeared covered in blood.
Although many details are still unknown, it seems that someone tried to kill the former president.
As of this writing, much of the evening’s events remain a blur. Amid rampant rumors and speculation, here’s what we know right now and what we still don’t know about the night and the apparent assassination attempt.
what do we know
- The events were broadcast live on Fox News. Keeping in mind that video footage from a single angle is sometimes confusing, here’s what viewers saw and heard:
- the most The Secret Service will confirm The following is about the incidents: “An incident occurred on the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service implemented protective measures and the former president is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available.”
- A statementThe Trump campaign confirmed that the former president is “doing well and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”
- “An audience member was killed and the gunman is dead. The other person is in critical condition,” said Richard Goldinger, district attorney for Butler County, where the shooting occurred. Meryl Kornfield of The Washington Post. (He confirmed this statement AP’s Seung Min Kim.)
- The first response came from the current administration Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: “In this dire moment, hearing President Trump’s team cheer signals that the former president is doing well. The entire nation must speak with one voice today to completely and unequivocally reject all political violence.”
- President Joe Biden was at church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when the shooting happened. Since then Briefed Secret Service Director Kimberly Chittle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall.
- Later Biden A statement said“I’m grateful to hear that [Trump is] Safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and for his family and for those who were at the rally, as we wait for more information … This kind of violence has no place in America. We must unite as a nation to condemn this.”
which we do not know
- The cause of Trump’s injury is unclear. Goldinger said a bullet grazed the former president’s ear. Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke cites a source claiming that a The bullet hit the glass (Probably from Trump Teleprompter) which resulted in Trump’s injury.
- The identity and motive of the attacker is not known. If Goldinger is correct that a gunman was among the dead, more information will likely emerge.
- The identities of any other injured or killed spectators at the rally have not been released to the public.
- Investigators have not identified the weapon or weapons used in the attack, whether a firearm or a high-caliber air rifle.
- The Secret Service has not yet commented on how an armed person or persons managed to get within range of the former president.
