Former President Donald Trump was rushed off stage with blood on his face after gunshots were heard at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.
The shooter and a rally attendee are confirmed dead. Two others were critically wounded. The shooting is now being investigated as a possible assassination, law enforcement officials told the Associated Press.
After several pops were heard, Trump grabbed the side of his head and ducked down as the crowd screamed and crouched. He was rushed to his motorcade by Secret Service, and the rally has since been cleared and caution tape put up.
A Trump campaign spokesperson said he is “fine” in a statement and is being checked out at a local medical facility.
This comes two days before the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, where the party will prepare for the election and nominate their presidential and vice presidential candidates.
In a statement on Sunday, a Trump campaign senior advisor said the former president "looks forward" to attending the convention in Milwaukee. Trump said that despite Saturday's "terrible events," he will not delay his trip to Wisconsin for the RNC in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement on Twitter he is in contact with security planners for the RNC and will continue to be “in close communication as we learn more about this situation.”
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who are both contenders for the vice presidential candidacy, expressed prayers on social media for Trump and rally attendees.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, according to a statement from the White House.
This is a developing story.
Editor’s note: this article was updated at 1:33 p.m. CDT on Sunday, July 14, 2024.
Mary Bosch is the photo editor for The Daily Cardinal and a first year journalism student. She has covered multiple stories about university sustainability efforts, and has written for state and city news. Follow her on twitter: @Mary_Bosch6
