Suspected shooter and at least one attendee killed at Donald Trump rally – Chicago Tribune

A local prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one participant in a shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, were dead.

Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said in a telephone interview that the suspected shooter was dead and at least one rally participant was killed.

The shooting is being investigated as an attempted murder, law enforcement officials say. Two officials spoke on condition of anonymity about the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not a participant in the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, told Politico that it appeared as if someone behind him had been shot.

“Suddenly there were shots, it looked like someone had been shot behind me,” McCormick said. “There was a lot of blood, and then the Secret Service was after President Trump.”

As a former president, Trump enjoys lifetime Secret Service protection under federal law. As a likely Republican nominee who is often in the public spotlight, he received additional protections. At his final rally before the opening of the Republican National Convention on Monday, he was showing a chart showing border crossing numbers when loud bangs erupted in the crowd.

When the first pop sounded, Trump said “Oh” and held his ear as two more pop sounds were heard and crouched down.

Someone near the microphone at Trump’s lectern can be heard shouting, “Down, down, down, down!” as the agents attack the former president.

Later, Trump could be seen reaching for his face with his right hand. His face appeared to be covered in blood.

The Secret Service said in a statement that “the former president is safe.”

Shortly after Trump left the stage, police began clearing the exhibition grounds. Local police called it a crime scene.

Originally published: July 13, 2024 at 18:31