Donald Trump, 78, was hit by a bullet in the upper part of his right ear in an assassination bid. A suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
The attacker killed one spectator at the rally, and two others were critically injured.
As the bullet hit his ears, the former president was seen ducking with the US secret service surrounding him post the series of gunshots. He was immediately escorted out of the venue.
The assailant has been reportedly identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The assailant’s shots injured Trump, grazing his ear. The shots tragically claimed the life of a bystander and critically injured two others.
The swift response from the Secret Service counter-sniper team resulted in a direct headshot, neutralizing Crooks immediately.
In videos that surfaced on social media after the incident, Donald Trump was seen making a speech standing at the podium when the bullet went by him. Mere seconds before the shots were fired, Trump was seen barely tilting his head, towards one side.
New footage that surfaced also shows a sniper appearing to notice the suspect just milliseconds before he took a shot at Trump.
Netizens have reacted to the videos stating that he was saved by a tilt.
According to Anthony Guglielmi, spokesperson of the US Secret Service, the incident happened around 6:15 pm local time when the suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.
“US Secret Service personnel neutralised the shooter, who is now deceased. The US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and Former President Trump is safe. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured,” he said, adding that this incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has notified the FBI.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, and shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening. God bless America!” said Donald Trump reacting to the incident on X.
Here are a few other reactions of netizens on X
