Former President Donald Trump was urgently evacuated from the stage during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, following a shooting incident. Trump later disclosed on social media that a bullet had grazed the top of his right ear, causing injuries.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that Trump is now safe. His campaign team stated that he was taken to a local hospital for examination. Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, told Robert Costa of CBS News that his father is «doing well.»
The incident resulted in two fatalities – the shooter and one audience member – along with two gravely injured spectators, according to the Secret Service. «The U.S. Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,» the agency stated.
Journalists reported hearing multiple gunshots before the Secret Service swiftly covered Trump and escorted him off the stage. A video captured by CBS News shows Trump touching his ear and ducking, with visible blood on his face. He was subsequently driven away in a motorcade, raising his fist as he entered the vehicle.
Authorities are investigating the shooting as an assassination attempt. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi announced, «The Secret Service has implemented protective measures, and the former president is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation.» The FBI is assisting in the investigation.
The shooter fired from an elevated platform outside the established security perimeter. An eyewitness, an emergency room doctor, described the chaotic scene: «I heard the gunshots. At first, I thought they were fireworks… Someone had been shot in the head. There was a lot of blood and brain matter.»
Trump’s campaign team released a statement thanking emergency responders and confirming that Trump was unharmed and being examined at a local medical facility. In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed: «I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service and all law enforcement for their swift response… My condolences to the family of the person who died and… to the family of the seriously wounded individual. A bullet grazed the top of my right ear… GOD BLESS AMERICA!»
President Joe Biden addressed the nation, expressing relief over Trump’s safety and condemning the violence: «There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. It’s sickening.» Biden added that he would try to contact Trump that evening to discuss the incident.
Vice President Kamala Harris and other political figures from both parties extended their support to Trump and condemned the attack. Representative Nancy Pelosi remarked, «Political violence of any kind has no place in our society. I thank God that former President Trump is safe.»
Security has been heightened at Trump Tower in Manhattan following the incident. The Secret Service and local law enforcement continue to investigate the assassination attempt at the Butler rally. This is a developing story, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming hours.
