Former president Donald Trump called for unity and resilience on Sunday after an assassination attempt added new uncertainty to an already tumultuous presidential campaign and raised serious questions about how a gunman was able to to pull from a rooftop near a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Putting aside sharp political differences during a delicate period of the race, the president Joe Biden He delivered a prime-time speech Sunday condemning the violence and imploring Americans: “We cannot, we must not” go down the path of political violence.
“It’s time to calm things down and we have a responsibility to do that,” Biden said.
A full day after the shooting, the shooter’s motive remains a mystery, with investigators saying they believe he acted alone before being fatally shot by Secret Service agents. Biden has ordered an independent investigation security review of the attack, which killed a passerby and seriously injured two others. The FBI was investigating shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism.
The attack shook the firmament of the American political system, causing a reassessment and a relaxation – at least temporarily – of the 2024 presidential campaign, which had become increasingly vicious.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said the upper part of his right ear was pierced by a bulletHis aides said he was in “very good spirits” and doing well, and he arrived in Milwaukee Sunday night for the Republican National Conventionwhich starts Monday.
“I immediately knew something was wrong, I heard a whistling sound, gunshots, and immediately felt the bullet go through the skin,” he wrote on his social media site. “There was a lot of bleeding.”
In a social media post Sunday, Trump said: “Right now, it is more important than ever that we stand together and show our true character as Americans by remaining strong and determined and not allowing evil to win.”
The rally attendee who was killed was identified as Corey Comperatore, a former area fire chief, according to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who added that Comperatore “died a hero.”
“His wife told me he dove on his family to protect them,” Shapiro said. The two injured bystanders are in stable condition.
Biden spoke briefly with Trump and was scheduled to address the nation Sunday night. The president said the country would continue to debate and disagree, but stressed: “We have to come together as one nation to show who we are.”
FBI Investigating Shooting That May Be Domestic Terrorism
The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the shooting scene.
The gunman had his father’s AR-style rifle and was perched atop a nearby roof when rally-goers reported him to local law enforcement, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation.
A local law enforcement officer climbed onto the roof and found Crooks, who pointed the rifle at the officer. The officer backed down the ladder and the gunman quickly shot Trump, officials said. That’s when U.S. Secret Service gunmen shot him, officials said.
Questions have mounted about how the shooter got so close. Kevin Rojek, the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office agent, said it was “surprising” that the shooter was able to open fire at the scene before Secret Service officers shot him dead.
Bomb-making materials were found in Crooks’ vehicle and at his home, authorities said. The FBI described the devices as “rudimentary.”
The motive for the attack was unclear. Crooks was not in the FBI’s sights and was believed to have acted alone. Investigators combed through his social media accounts and home but did not immediately find any threatening writings or messages. His family has been cooperative. Crooks’ relatives did not respond to messages seeking comment from the AP.
Crooks’ political beliefs are unclear. Records show that Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show that he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day Biden was sworn in as president.
The lack of a clear ideological motive has helped deepen questions about the shooting, depriving the public of any quick and clear conclusions.
Biden urged Americans to remain patient. “Please don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations,” he said.
The most serious assassination attempt since 1981
The attack is the most serious assassination attempt against a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It brought new attention to concerns about political violence in a deeply polarized country, less than four months before a presidential election.
FBI Assistant Director Paul Abbate said agents have seen an increase in violent online rhetoric since the rally, as well as people impersonating the dead shooter. He added that the FBI is focusing on upcoming political conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago.
Biden on Sunday ordered a security review of operations for the Republican National Convention, which is proceeding as planned. The Secret Service said it was “confident” in the security plan and that no additional changes were planned.
Biden, who is running against Trump, said the two men had a “brief but good” conversation Saturday night. Biden returned to Washington from his Delaware beach house where he met with leaders in the Situation Room about the attack. He said that during an address Sunday afternoon, “there is no place in America for this kind of violence.”
Yet many Republicans were quick to blame the violence on Biden and his allies, saying the sustained attacks on Trump as a threat to democracy have created a toxic environment.
It’s not yet clear whether Biden will be forced to rethink a campaign largely focused on Trump as a threat to democracy. That’s a situation the United States hasn’t seen since Teddy Roosevelt was shot a month before the 1912 election while campaigning to retake the White House as a third-party candidate.
Rally disrupted by gunfire
Trump was showing a chart showing the number of border crossings when the gunfire began after 6:10 p.m. Saturday.
As the first sound of gunfire rang out, Trump said “oh,” put his hand to his right ear and looked at it, then quickly crouched to the ground. People in the stands behind him also crouched as the screams rang out.
Someone near the microphone was heard yelling, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as officers rushed onto the stage. They piled on top of Trump to shield him with their bodies while other officers took up positions on stage to scan for the threat.
Then voices were heard repeatedly saying, “Shooter down,” before someone asked, “Are we ready to move?” and “Are we ready?” Then someone ordered, “Let’s go.”
Trump stood up moments later and could be seen reaching his right hand toward his blood-stained face. He then raised his fist in the air and appeared to say the word “fight” twice, prompting cheers and chants of “USA. USA. USA.”
His motorcade left moments later. Video shows Trump turning toward the crowd and raising his fist just before being put into a vehicle.
Witnesses heard gunshots and took cover
When the shooting started, “everybody got on their knees or in a prone position,” Dave said. McCormickthe Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, who was seated to Trump’s right on stage.
Seeing Trump raise his fist, McCormick said, he looked over his shoulder and noticed someone had been hit in the stands behind the stage.
Eventually, first responders were able to transport the injured person to receive medical treatment, McCormick said.
Reporters heard five or six shots, and many took cover under tables. After the first two or three shots, people in the crowd seemed surprised but not panicked. One AP reporter described the sound as initially sounding like firecrackers, or perhaps a car backfiring.
When it became clear that the situation was under control and that Trump would not return to speak, attendees began to file out. Police quickly asked everyone to leave, and Secret Service agents described the site as “an actual crime scene.”
Republican Rep. Mike Kelly, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, was there with his wife and grandchildren and was standing right behind Trump when he was shot. Kelly said he was “in a state of bewilderment about what has happened to the United States of America.”
“I wish people would tone it down,” he said. “Stop trying to find someone, to blame someone. The fault lies somewhere in the psyche of America.”
