Donald Trump Injured in ‘Assassination Bid’ at Pennsylvania Rally

Former U.S. President Donald Trump escaped an assassination attempt and was injured during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening. According to the FBI, it was an assassination attempt. The FBI has identified the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

Source: CNN

Thomas Crooks’s shots injured Trump, grazing his ear and claimed the life of a bystander. One audience member and the gunman are dead, and two other audience members are critically injured, said the Secret Service.

Trump fell to the ground and was securely protected by the Secret Service agents, after hearing the shots. He was immediately evacuated from the scene.

The U.S. Secret Service Chief of Communications, Anthony Guglielmi revealed a statement saying,  “An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,”

Law enforcement sources have confirmed that the shooter was outside the venue of former president Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. The shooter was just outside the venue on a roof according to sources, reported CNN.

Eyewitness Accounts

Joseph Myen, an attendee at Trump’s rally described the shooting as ‘complete pandemonium’. He stated that the crowd initially was not aware of what was happening. According to Joseph, he looked back in the direction the gunshots had come from. “I saw a man in the bleachers was hit directly in the head, and died instantly. There was a woman who was hit in the hand and forearm, a noncritical wound,” he added.

President Joe Biden’s Response

President Joe Biden spoke on Saturday after the shooting took place, condemning the attack on Donald Trump and said, “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence.”

Speaking from Delaware, he added, “It’s sick, it’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this, we cannot condone this”, reported CNN.

Source: CNN

Donald Trump’s Official Statement

Trump issued an official statement after the attack: “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!”

According to CNN, after being injured during the rally Former President Donald Trump sent a short brief email to his supporters, “THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM DONALD TRUMP,” the brief email read. “I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!”

Shooter Identified

FBI later issued a statement identifying the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks and issued a 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.”

Crooks lived in the Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park which is about 35 miles south of the Trump’s rally. According to law enforcement officials, Crooks perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter when he fired on Trump, before being killed by Secret Service agents.

Source: CNN

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