BUTLER, Pennsylvania. Former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday, raising serious questions about the security measures in place for the Republican candidate.
The incident occurred as Trump was beginning his speech. Shots rang out, and he instinctively grabbed his right ear, which was bleeding. Secret Service agents immediately surrounded him, but Trump emerged shortly after, his face streaked with blood, pumping his fist in the air and mouthing “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Despite the severity of the situation, the Trump campaign later reported that he was “doing well,” with no major injuries other than a wound on his upper right ear.
Identifying the Suspect
Early Sunday morning, the FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the “subject involved” in what they termed an attempted assassination. Crooks, a registered Republican, was shot dead by Secret Service agents after he opened fire from a rooftop about 140 meters from the stage. An AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle was found near his body.
The attack resulted in the death of one rally attendee and left two others critically wounded. Law enforcement officials have yet to determine a motive for the shooting.
Trump’s Response
Trump, 78, briefly knelt behind the podium after being shot before reemerging, his red “Make America Great Again” hat knocked off. He could be heard saying “wait, wait” before pumping his fist and being rushed to a black SUV.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump later stated on his Truth Social platform. “Much bleeding took place.”
He was quickly transported under Secret Service protection to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Implications and Reactions
This attack marks the first shooting of a U.S. president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. It has sparked immediate scrutiny of the Secret Service’s security protocols, given that Trump, as a former president, receives lifetime protection.
The FBI has taken the lead in investigating the incident. The attack, which comes less than four months before the November 5 election, is expected to have significant implications for the presidential race. Current polls show Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden in a tight contest.
Market analysts predict that Trump’s defiant response to the attack might bolster his chances of reclaiming the White House. Trading on bets for his victory is expected to surge in the coming week.
Trump is set to receive the Republican Party’s formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, starting Monday in Milwaukee.
Eyewitness Accounts and Official Responses
Ron Moose, a rally attendee, reported hearing about four shots. “I saw the crowd go down and then Trump ducked, also real quick,” he said. “Then the Secret Service all jumped and protected him as soon as they could. We are talking within a second they were all protecting him.”
The BBC interviewed an eyewitness who claimed to have seen a man armed with a rifle on a rooftop near the event. This individual, who was not identified, said he and others tried to alert security to the potential threat.
FBI officials expressed surprise at the suspect’s ability to fire multiple shots, noting that the shots appeared to come from outside the secured area.
In response to the incident, the Republican-led U.S. House Oversight Committee has summoned U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at a hearing scheduled for July 22. “Americans demand answers about the assassination attempt of President Trump,” the panel stated on social media.
The attack has prompted widespread criticism of the Secret Service. Conservative activist Jack Posobiec questioned how a sniper with a full rifle kit could get so close to the event, stating on social media site X: “How was a sniper with a full rifle kit allowed to bear crawl onto the closest roof to a presidential nominee?”
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
