Former President Donald Trump was rushed off the stage by the Secret Service during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon. According to Richard Goldinger, the District Attorney for Butler County, a person believed to be the shooter was killed by law enforcement following the attack, which left at least one rally attendee dead. In a statement, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung says that Trump is “fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”
The GOP frontrunner was just minutes into his address when witnesses said they heard the shots. According to video from the scene, the former president fell to the ground, and was tackled by Secret Service agents. As he was carried from the scene, Trump grimaced and took a defiant pose, pumping his fist for the crowd. Blood was visible near one of his ears.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement that the former president “is safe” and said only that “an incident occurred” at the rally. “This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,” Guglielmi said.
The New York Times reports that a medical helicopter arrived at the scene before heading south, “likely to the medical center in Pittsburgh.”
Federal officials say that while the Secret Service is leading the investigation, ATF, the FBI, and the Justice Department are being briefed on the situation. Via statement, the White House says that Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Liz Sherwood-Randall, the president’s homeland security adviser, have also briefed President Joe Biden on the apparent attack, as was vice president Kamala Harris.
The shooting is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, said law enforcement officials according to the Associated Press.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
