Pennsylvania: Former US President Donald Trump has been shot in the ear during an election campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Trump left the stage with blood streaked across his face and the incident has prompted immediate action from his security detail.
The Secret Service confirmed that the shooter was dead. One rally attendee was killed, and two other spectators were injured in the attack.
Law enforcement said that the attacker, armed with a rifle, fired from an elevated structure outside the venue. The attack is being treated as an assassination attempt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the investigation.
Trump had just begun his speech when gunfire erupted. He initially grabbed his right ear, then dropped to his knees behind the podium as Secret Service agents covered him.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump later stated that, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. Much bleeding took place.” The rally took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, in which Trump faces a rematch with President Joe Biden. Both Republicans and Democrats condemned the attack.
The Trump campaign reported he was ‘doing well.’ President Biden called for unity, stating that, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
The shooting has raised questions about Secret Service security measures. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed Trump had left the Butler area under Secret Service protection, and has headed to New Jersey.
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