President Joe Biden briefly addressed the nation on Sunday following the shooting of his predecessor and fellow 2024 presidential candidate, Donald Trump, at a political rally on Saturday.
Gunfire erupted at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, around 6:10 p.m. local time. Trump, who was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers, raised his hand to his right ear as the first shot rang out. He quickly crouched behind the lectern before Secret Service agents rushed the stage and shielded him.
Before being escorted off stage, Trump, with blood visible on his face, pumped his fist and appeared to mouth the word βfight,β prompting loud cheers and chants of βUSA, USA, USA.β
Hours after the incident, Trump took to his Truth Social media site to confirm that a bullet βpierced the upper right part of [his] earβ and that he βimmediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.β
In addition to Trump, at least two other spectators at the rally were injured, and one was killed. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro identified the deceased as Corey Comperatore, a former local fire chief, who dove on his family to protect them.
President Biden, who is running against Trump in this yearβs election, was briefed on the attack and spoke to him hours after the shooting, according to federal officials.
βThereβs no place in America for this type of violence,β Biden said on Saturday. βItβs sick. Itβs sick.β
The suspected gunman was identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a registered Republican from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, located over 50 miles from the rally site. He was killed by a counterassault team immediately after the shooting.
In a three-minute speech from the White House on Sunday, Biden offered condolences to Comperatoreβs family, wished the injured a speedy recovery, and praised the Secret Service agents for their actions in protecting the former president.
βAn assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nationβ¦ itβs not American, and we canβt allow this to happen,β Biden said. βUnity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is more important than that right now: unity.β
βWe will debate and disagreeβthatβs not going to changeβbut weβre not going to lose sight of who we are as Americans,β he added.
Biden, who has consistently directed the Secret Service to provide Trump with βevery resource, capability, and protective measureβ possible to ensure his safety, instructed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to review all security measures for the upcoming Republican National Convention, which begins on Monday in Milwaukee.
An independent review of the security detail at Saturdayβs rally will also be conducted, Biden added.
Biden also urged Americans not to make assumptions about the alleged gunmanβs motives or affiliations and to let the FBI and supporting law enforcement agencies conduct their investigation.
Matt Pinner is a dedicated journalist for WVPrepBB.com, specializing in USA and crime news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for uncovering the truth, Matt brings timely and insightful reporting to his readers. His work on WVPrepBB.com keeps the community informed and engaged with the latest developments in national news and criminal justice.
