Donald Trump was reportedly injured in a shooting incident and was rushed offstage by Secret Service agents during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening. The Secret Service has said that Trump is "safe" and the ex-president's campaign says he is receiving medical treatment. Whether Trump was actually struck by a bullet remains unclear, with some reports suggesting he may have been struck by glass fragments from the teleprompter before him.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger has said two people were killed in the incident. One of them is believed to be the shooter and the other was reportedly a person in the audience.
According to CNN, pool reporters present at the rally heard "a series of loud explosions or loud bangs” before Trump ducked, or perhaps fell to the stage. According to the New York Times, the loud noises came from the bleachers to Trump's left, and visible smoke was seen from that area. Secret Service agents then "tackled" Trump, helping him up after a brief pause and then rushing him into a vehicle. News photographs taken on the scene show blood on the former president's face, suggesting that his ear was grazed or struck.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a social media post that the ex-president was “fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.” The New York Times reported that a medical helicopter had taken off from the area, possibly heading toward Pittsburgh.
CNN reported that Trump "was yelling back to the crowd and raising his fist" before being led away. Law enforcement officials began to cordon off the area with crime-scene tape while rally attendees were shepherded away, the Times reported.
President Biden was reportedly briefed on the situation shortly after leaving church services near his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Numerous politicians and elected officials of both parties, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, along with world leaders from several other nations, have posted messages of support and sympathy on social media.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
