With the upcoming presidential election occurring in just a few months, political tension in the United States is at an all time high. The country is very divided and voters have extremely strong opinions about both candidates.
As the election approaches, both parties are engaging in many campaigns with voters to gain support and spread their message across the country. However, an assassination attempt on Donald Trump occurred at a recent campaign that resulted in distressing outcomes.
Where did This Happen?
To set the scene, these terrifying events occurred on Saturday evening. Trump was leading a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The audience was filled with mostly republican voters in support of Trump. The temperatures were high and the sun was beating down on the audience, but voters still sat outside happily to hear Trump speak.
How did the Moment Unfold?
The moment began with a large popping noise. One attendee of the campaign described the noise as sounding like a firecracker. Almost immediately after the noise was heard, Trump grabbed his ear in shock. Secret Service agents jumped onto Trump right away, pinning him to the ground in protection.
After the onlookers realized someone had been hit by the bullets fired, people began to scream. There was then another round of multiple gunshots. After Trump stood up, Secret Service agents surrounded him in a circle as other agents with rifles rushed onto the stage. Trump, standing up, no longer wearing his baseball cap, pumped his fist in the air as the agents rushed him to a nearby vehicle.
When did the Moment occur?
The assassination attempt occurred only a few minutes after Trump took the stage. Wearing a “Make America Great Again” baseball cap and a suit, Trump addressed the crowd in confidence.
Trump was pointing to a chart on border crossings when the first shot rang out. He immediately ducked to the ground after the bullet made contact with his ear.
Who Did it?
The gunman has been identified by the FBI as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He is from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania and is 20 years old. He was killed by a sniper almost immediately after opening fire on the campaign.
Crooks is a registered Republican, however his one political donation was made in 2021 of $15 to an organization that supports democratic candidates. During the time of the shooting he was not wearing any identification, and an investigation was conducted by the FBI to figure out his identity.
How Did He Do it?
During the campaign, Crooks was positioned on a rooftop more than 100 yards from the campaign site. He was able to fire multiple shots before being shot down by a sniper and killed at the scene.
There are no other current active threats to worry about at this moment, authorities stated at a conference.
What Injuries Resulted?
Multiple shots were fired before the gunman was killed. The gunman injured Trump’s ear from the result of the contact with the bullet.
Spectators also faced injuries resulting in the assassination attempt. One spectator was killed by one of the first bullets fired. Two other spectators were critically injured. All three of these spectators are adult men, none of whom the identities have been released.
What are Trump’s Reactions?
Shortly after the events occurred, Trump posted on social media that he is fine and he is safe. He let his followers know that he was hit in the “upper part of my right ear.”
Trump’s campaign managers have stated that the way that security is carried out at future rallies will be changed from here on out. Ivanka Trump released a statement on X asking for support and thanking law enforcement.
What is Joe Biden’s Response?
After the shooting, Biden stated that he’s grateful Trump is safe. Biden spoke with Trump personally and proceeded to release a statement claiming that “there’s no place in America for this kind of violence.”
During the time of the shooting, Biden was in Delaware. He was supposed to spend the rest of the weekend in Delaware, but came back to the White House early to continue hearing updates.
Is There an Ongoing Investigation?
After the identity of the gunman was identified using biometrics, there are a few other details that are currently still being investigated. The FBI still plans to look further into the weapon used in the assassination attempt.
The motive of the gunman is still unknown. It is being looked into currently and no statement has been made of the official motive. It is also unknown how the shooter made it onto the rooftop and was not spotted earlier to prevent the shooting from occurring in the first place.
Attack on Democracy
The timing of this shooting is only adding to the tension of the upcoming election. The shooting occurred only a few short days before Trump’s plans to accept the Republican party’s nomination.
The energy in the country is tense and unknown, and these scary events are only contributing to the uncertainty of American citizens about the future of their country.
