As the crowd of thousands gathered to listen to former US President Donald Trump during an election campaign rally, a series of pops suddenly sent them diving for cover. Secret Service agents swiftly rushed to protect the 78-year-old Republican, knocking over the lectern bearing his name in the process.
Amidst the panic, agents helped Trump to his feet and guided him towards his waiting motorcade.The crowd gasped, with some chanting “USA, USA” as an unsteady Trump was escorted down the steps from the stage to his armored SUV, the AFP reported.
As Trump, visibly shaken, pumped his fist and waved through the linked arms of his security detail, applause and cheers spread through the rural Pennsylvania fairground.
Some attendees criticized the apparent security lapse, while others were visibly emotional, praying and expressing concern for Trump’s well-being.
“They won’t take you down,” a man in the crowd shouted as Trump’s guardsmen formed a human chain to escort him to safety, his fist still raised even as he was helped into the vehicle.
Describing the incident, Erin Autenreith, who was sitting in the front row, said, “I was so excited. I just looked at him. Then I heard these pops. It sounded like a July 4 thing, pop, pop, pop.”
When the agents surrounded Trump and put him down, she realized it must have been a real shot. Autenreith, attending her sixth Trump rally and volunteering all day, noticed a little bit of blood on Trump’s right cheek as he stood up. Trump later posted on Truth Social that he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
A witness named Greg told the BBC that he observed an armed individual on a rooftop just minutes before gunshots were heard at a rally for Donald Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania. According to Greg, the man had climbed onto the roof of a nearby building, situated approximately 50 feet from the event.
Greg said that he alerted the police to the presence of the gunman. “I’m thinking to myself ‘Why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage’… the next thing you know, five shots ring out,” he recounted.
Greg added that he had noticed the gunman about five minutes into Trump’s speech and attempted to alert the authorities for several minutes, but he believes they may have had difficulty spotting the gunman due to the roof’s slope.
As the gravity of the situation sank in, tensions rose among the crowd. Some Trump supporters hurled insults at the media, while others made vulgar gestures towards the area where the gunshots seemed to have originated. The shooter was reportedly “outside the grounds,” according to the Butler County district attorney. Secret Service officers urged the crowd to evacuate, declaring the area an active crime scene.
Following the gunshots, Secret Service agents immediately surrounded the former president and escorted him to safety. Trump was later seen with blood on his face and reportedly said that a bullet had grazed his ear. Officials later confirmed that the gunman had been shot and killed.
Amidst the panic, agents helped Trump to his feet and guided him towards his waiting motorcade.The crowd gasped, with some chanting “USA, USA” as an unsteady Trump was escorted down the steps from the stage to his armored SUV, the AFP reported.
As Trump, visibly shaken, pumped his fist and waved through the linked arms of his security detail, applause and cheers spread through the rural Pennsylvania fairground.
Some attendees criticized the apparent security lapse, while others were visibly emotional, praying and expressing concern for Trump’s well-being.
“They won’t take you down,” a man in the crowd shouted as Trump’s guardsmen formed a human chain to escort him to safety, his fist still raised even as he was helped into the vehicle.
Describing the incident, Erin Autenreith, who was sitting in the front row, said, “I was so excited. I just looked at him. Then I heard these pops. It sounded like a July 4 thing, pop, pop, pop.”
When the agents surrounded Trump and put him down, she realized it must have been a real shot. Autenreith, attending her sixth Trump rally and volunteering all day, noticed a little bit of blood on Trump’s right cheek as he stood up. Trump later posted on Truth Social that he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
A witness named Greg told the BBC that he observed an armed individual on a rooftop just minutes before gunshots were heard at a rally for Donald Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania. According to Greg, the man had climbed onto the roof of a nearby building, situated approximately 50 feet from the event.
Greg said that he alerted the police to the presence of the gunman. “I’m thinking to myself ‘Why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage’… the next thing you know, five shots ring out,” he recounted.
Greg added that he had noticed the gunman about five minutes into Trump’s speech and attempted to alert the authorities for several minutes, but he believes they may have had difficulty spotting the gunman due to the roof’s slope.
As the gravity of the situation sank in, tensions rose among the crowd. Some Trump supporters hurled insults at the media, while others made vulgar gestures towards the area where the gunshots seemed to have originated. The shooter was reportedly “outside the grounds,” according to the Butler County district attorney. Secret Service officers urged the crowd to evacuate, declaring the area an active crime scene.
Following the gunshots, Secret Service agents immediately surrounded the former president and escorted him to safety. Trump was later seen with blood on his face and reportedly said that a bullet had grazed his ear. Officials later confirmed that the gunman had been shot and killed.
