Thousands of attendees came to watch former President Donald Trump speak at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania. The doors to the event opened at 1 p. m. , drawing a crowd in 90-degree heat.
Trump was originally scheduled to speak at 5 p. m. local time.
The former president took the level about an hour after his speech. At 6:02 p. m. , he approached the microphone and waved to the crowd.
In the background was the song “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood. Trump, dressed in a red hat that read “Make America Great Again,” appeared to be in good spirits.
Trump began his remarks at the rally shortly after 6 p. m. He marveled at the number of people who had piled up before him, introduced groundbreaking attacks on the “fake news” media, and began describing how the country is “going to hell. “
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the would-be assassin was seen on a nearby rooftop as Trump took the stage.
“We saw a bear crawling on the roof of the building next to us, 15 meters away,” a witness told the BBC. “So we show the guy crawling on the roof. . . he had a gun; obviously we can see with a rifle. “
The guy told the BBC that he and his friends had tried to warn the secret service of the gunman’s presence and alert the local police.
“The police said, ‘Hey, what?’ Like they didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “I wonder why Trump keeps talking. I point to the ceiling. . . for two or three minutes, and secrets watch us. “
The Washington Post and Associated Press reported that the alleged shooter came face-to-face with a local police officer while on the roof, but was unable to subdue him.
When Trump began talking about immigration statistics, he turned to his right to talk about illegal border crossings.
“Look what happened. . . “, Trump said. That’s when the first 3 sounded.
The FBI later proved that the shooter was armed with a legally purchased “AR-type” rifle.
Trump may be seen putting his right hand to his right ear and grimacing before crouching under the podium.
We later decided that the suspected shooter was on the roof of a building next to the rally, about 450 feet from Trump’s location at the podium.
Secret Service agents rushed to the scene, surrounded Trump and leaned on him after he appeared to have been beaten.
“Crouch! Crouch!Duck!” An officer may be heard yelling while several more shots are heard.
Several passers-by passing by the demonstration were injured in the incident. One spectator was killed and two others were injured.
Other Secret Service agents temporarily exchanged gunfire with the suspected shooter, killing him.
“The shooter is on the ground,” an officer can be heard saying from the scene.
An organization of Secret Service agents helped Trump recover. There was blood on the former president’s face and for a moment he seemed disoriented. Trump may be heard asking for his shoes.
As he walked off the stage, Trump can be heard telling the Secret Service agents around him to “wait. “
The officers gave Trump a moment to collect himself, and in the pause amid the whirlwind of movement, he raised his fist and shouted to the crowd: “Fight, fight, fight!
Trump can be seen raising his fist in the air as he climbed into the motorcade vehicle. The procession followed through an ambulance.
“An incident occurred the night of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told X about an hour after Trump left the stage. “Secrecy has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe. This is now an active investigation through Secret and more data will be released as soon as it becomes available. “
One incident occurred on the night of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The secret facilities have implemented protective measures and the former president is safe and sound. There is now an active investigation through the secret service and more data will be released as it becomes available.
“I need to thank the United States Secret Service and all law enforcement for their reaction to the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote in an article in Truth Social. “Most importantly, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family members of the user who was killed at the rally, as well as the family members of some other user who was seriously injured. “
And he added: “An act like this can take place in our country. At the moment, nothing is known about the shooter, who is now dead. They shot me and pierced the top of my right ear. I knew something was wrong when I heard a whistle, gunshots, and immediately felt the bullet tear at my skin, so I found out what was going on.
Secret Service spokesman Guglielmi wrote in a message posted on social media that he was “grateful to the Secret Service team and our law enforcement partners for their swift action” and sent his condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the incident.
He said the alleged shooter “fired several shots toward the scene from an elevated position outside the collection location. “
“US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” it continued. “The US Secret Service reacted temporarily by taking protective measures and the former president is safe and sound and is being evaluated. One spectator died and two spectators were seriously injured. “
Here’s the latest from our research. We are grateful to the Secret Service team and our law enforcement partners for their swift action. Our thoughts are with the families affected by this tragedia. pic. twitter. com/E8FazqtUVZ
The Secret Service temporarily kept a close eye on the “major glitch” that allowed the former president to be shot and killed at the event.
Amid the criticism, the FBI issued a statement saying it would lead the ongoing investigation into the shooting.
“We will continue to assist in this investigation with the full resources of the FBI, along with our partners at the United States Secret Service and state and local authorities,” he said.
Updated by the FBI on the ongoing incident that took place today in Butler, Pennsylvania. pic. twitter. com/zWr5ZqyJBI
FBI spokesman Kevin Rojek, at a press conference that lasted until Sunday morning, said that the company had considered the incident an assassination attempt on the former president.
“The FBI is aware of Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as involved in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania,” said a statement released by the FBI.
He continued, “This is an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone who has data that may contribute to the investigation should submit photographs or videos online at fbi. gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. “
More information about Crooks continued to come in after the government revealed his identity. Here’s what we know about him so far.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Allyson Comperatore wrote a memorial for her father, Corey Comperatore, identifying him as the victim killed in the shooting at the demonstration.
Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer firefighter and father of two.
“The media probably wouldn’t tell you he died like a real superhero,” Allyson Comperatore wrote on Facebook. “They’re not going to tell you how he temporarily threw my mom and me to the ground. They’re not going to tell you that he protected my body from the bullet that hit us. “
And he added: “He is a man of God who enjoyed Jesus very much. . . I know that God is proud of the man who arrived at his doors yesterday. “
Comperatore’s identity was revealed through the state’s governor, Josh Shapiro, on Sunday afternoon.
A Trump-backed GoFundMe in aid of Comperatore and other shooting victims had raised more than $3. 175 million at press time.
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