Former President Donald Trump has showcased remarkable resilience on a day that could have altered the trajectory of a presidential campaign and American history. The harrowing assassination attempted that occurred at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman targeted the him, inciting chaos and concern among the gathered supporters. Amid the pandemonium, three rally-goers were struck by gunfire; one tragically lost their life, while two others were critically injured. The gunman is dead, thankfully.
Following the incident, the Secret Service swiftly evacuated Trump. Remarkably, he emerged from the situation relatively unscathed despite the close call. Trump later disclosed on Truth Social how close he had come to severe harm, stating, “A bullet pierced the upper part of my right ear,” underscoring the narrowness of his escape.
Choosing resilience over retreat on Sunday, Trump declared it is his intention to not let this violent act disrupt his schedule. In a statement, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform: “Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else. Therefore, I will be leaving for Milwaukee, as scheduled, at 3:30 P.M. TODAY.” He later added: “UNITE AMERICA!”
The Republican National Convention, set to commence on Monday, will run for four days, concluding with Trump accepting the party’s nomination for the third consecutive time. In response to Saturday’s attack, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Secret Service, and local police, have significantly enhanced security measures. They plan to expand the security perimeter and establish additional buffer zones around the convention venues to ensure safety.
In addition, law enforcement agencies distributed a joint threat assessment urging increased vigilance. According to CBS News, the assessment did not identify any specific threats but indicated the need for heightened awareness following the recent attack. Security protocols were promptly adjusted to ensure the safety of all attendees at the upcoming RNC.
The FBI and the Secret Service have both issued major statements following what the agencies have said was an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a rally at Butler, Pa., on Saturday evening.
The FBI stated that the attack was an “assassination attempt,” but the motive has not yet been determined. Pennsylvania State Police said at the press conference that one shooter has been “tentatively identified,” Axios reported.
Meanwhile, the chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, Anthony Guglielmi put out a statement Saturday evening.
“During former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on the evening of July 13th at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue,” he said. “US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased. US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated. One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured. The incident is currently under investigation, and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
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