Kathmandu: Former President Donald Trump was injured in an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday evening, according to the FBI. Trump reported on social media that he was shot in the ear.
The Secret Service confirmed that the gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire from a building rooftop near the rally venue. Crooks was subsequently killed by Secret Service agents. At least one audience member is also reported dead, and two others are critically injured.
Witnesses described a chaotic and bloody scene, with attendees expressing shock and disbelief. “It’s pure insanity,” remarked one rally attendee.
Trump, rushed offstage with blood on his face, is reported to be safe. President Joe Biden spoke with Trump after the incident and later condemned the violence in a Saturday night address. Biden returned to the White House early from Delaware to receive ongoing briefings from law enforcement officials.