Donald Trump, a former US president seeking to return to power, has opened up about his ordeal after gunshots were fired at him onstage while addressing a rally on Saturday, 13 July. He wrote on social media hours after the incident that he was hit by bullet in the upper part of his right ear.
He was rushed offstage as his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, turned violent, leading to the death of one audience member and the shooter himself, who has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks.
The Secret Service subsequently confirmed Trump was safe, and his campaign stated he was being checked at a local hospital.
Reporters heard numerous shots, and Secret Service agents rushed the stage. Videos circulating online captured Trump touching his ear and then crouching to the ground. Some blood could be seen on his face.
He was taken away in a motorcade and held up a fist as he got into the SUV.
“Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe,” Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. “This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a photo of the incident and wrote, “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America.”
An eyewitness told CBS: “I heard the shots. I thought it was firecrackers to begin with. Somebody over there was screaming he’s been shot. He’s been shot. So I made my way over. I said, I’m an emergency department physician. Let me help you. The guy spun around and was jammed between the benches. He had a head shot here. There’s lots of blood and he had brain matter there.”
Meanwhile, the FBI stated the fatal shooting was an assassination attempt against Trump.
