A shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.
A shooter is dead and an attendee was killed. Two attendees are critically injured. Trump’s campaign says he is “fine” after being whisked off the stage and is being checked out at a local medical facility.
The president arrived early Sunday after cutting short a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
The White House said he would receive a briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the attempted assassination of Trump later in the morning.
Vice President Kamala Harris was also to attend.
Trump’s private jet landed shortly after midnight Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Video posted by an aide showed the former president deplaning, flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team.It was an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.
Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.
Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Rojek responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”
“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”
Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, State Police Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.
Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.
State Police have identified the person killed and people injured but are not prepared to release names, State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said.
Other than Trump, two people were critically injured and one was killed. All were adult males.
Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, said late Saturday: “Tonight we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt on our former president, Donald Trump.”
“We do not currently have an identified motive,” he added.
The FBI was not prepared to release the identity of the shooter, who died at the scene.
Rojek said they received no specific threats ahead of the shooting.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also said Trump had left the area of Butler, where the rally was held.
Shapiro said Trump was “under the protection of US Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police.”
“Lori and I are thankful that his team reports that he is fine and we continue to wish him a full and speedy recovery,” the governor added.
The Republican speaker said the House will conduct a full investigation of the attack, saying, “The American people deserve to know the truth.”
“We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” Johnson said.
The White House said President Biden spoke with former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening.
No further details were provided on the call.
Biden will convene a briefing with homeland security and law enforcement officials at the White House on Sunday morning.
President Biden is going back to Washington from Delaware earlier than planned following the attack at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania.
Rep. Dan Meuser was in the front row with other Republican elected officials and candidates when the shots rang out.
“It was pretty clear after the first pop that it was gunfire,” he told AP.
“My eyes were glued” on Trump he said.
“It was just a lot of mayhem, and just a terrible, terrible tragedy, a terrible shame.”
Meuser said he had been able to meet with Trump earlier in the evening and said the former president was “loose” and “cool,” and joking with him.
The congressman said he appreciated the outpouring text and calls from Republican and Democratic colleagues – including the Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro checking on him – but still felt angry and even a “little helpless” about the situation.
“The level of lack of civility and hostility, maybe this will send a ringing signal to all those to cool it,” he said.
