Florida reacts to shooting at Donald Trump rally

After former President Donald Trump was bloodied by gunfire and escorted off the stage by the Secret Service following a shooting at his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday, Florida’s political world took to social media to offer their congratulations and condemn the alleged political violence.

The Associated Press reported that the incident was being investigated as an attempted murder.

Details of the incident were not immediately released. A Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement that Trump was safe and more information would be released as it became available. The Trump campaign released a similar statement thanking first responders and law enforcement.

At around 8:45 p.m., Trump released his report on the events and his condolences for the person who died at his rally.

“It is unbelievable that such an act could take place in our country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Nothing is currently known about the shooter, who is now dead. I was hit with a bullet that pierced the top of my right ear. I knew immediately something was wrong because I heard a whooshing sound, gunshots and immediately felt the bullet cut through the skin. There was severe bleeding so I realized what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

The Washington Post reported a few minutes after 7 p.m. that the shooter and another person had been killed at the rally.

The Post reported, citing a local district attorney, that Trump was grazed by gunfire.

“This was clearly an assassination attempt on President Trump,” posted US Senator Rick Scott a few minutes after Trump left the stage. “There is ZERO tolerance for violence. I hope this monster has already been caught and is punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

US Senator Marco Rubio, who is rumored to be Trump’s running mate, wrote: “God protected President Trump.”

Rubio also criticized the media coverage immediately after the rally. Rubio posted a screenshot of CNN’s social media post to X.

The CNN story, published before authorities could clarify details of the incident, said: “JUST HERE: Donald Trump is dragged off stage by Secret Service during campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Follow live updates.”

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“Really?” Rubio wrote in his post above the screenshot. “No mention of the attempted murder?”

Representatives of Trump’s campaign team also criticized the immediate reporting on the shooting.

Images of a defiant Trump with his fist raised quickly circulated on social media. Within an hour of Trump leaving the stage, the Florida Republicans’ account on X began using the incident as a rallying cry.

“This will not stop us. We will win! We will make America great again,” the account posted on Sunday around 7 p.m., along with a picture of the incident with the capitalized caption “Trump Strong.”

Other politicians, such as Governor Ron DeSantis, also sent their congratulations to the former president.

Democrats in Florida also distanced themselves from the obvious violence on social media.

“I pray for the safety of every single person,” Orlando-area Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost wrote to X. “Political violence is abhorrent and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz of the Fort Lauderdale area called on President Joe Biden to address the nation about the shooting.

“President Biden must address the nation. From the Oval. Bring down the temperature. Remind us that we are all Americans,” Moskowitz tweeted.

Biden was informed of the shooting and said in a statement that he was praying for Trump. His campaign announced it would pull its television ads in response to the shooting.

“There is no place for this kind of violence in America,” Biden said. “We must unite as a nation to condemn it.”

Speaking to reporters Saturday night, Biden said he had tried to reach Trump by phone. He called the violent incidents “sickening” but declined to describe the shooting as an attempted assassination.

“I have an opinion, but I don’t have facts,” Biden said. “So I want to make sure I have all the facts before I make any further comments.”

Scott said the president’s speech was inadequate.

“@JoeBiden’s speech was not the inspiring, unifying speech the President of the United States should be giving at this moment,” Scott wrote on X. “He can’t even say it was an assassination. That’s not leadership.”

This is a breaking news story that will be updated.