Police snipers return fire after shots were fired while Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Gene J. Puskar, Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
A witness reported a shooter armed with a rifle was “bear-crawling up the roof” of a nearby building before firing at former President Donald Trump during a rally Saturday in Pennsylvania.
The witness who identified as “Greg” told The BBC the building was outside the perimeter of the rally in Butler. He said he alerted police officers about the suspicious man.
Law enforcement later identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks 20 of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who was armed with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, and had bomb material in his car and house.
During the shooting, Trump stopped speaking to the crowd, held his right ear, and moved lower behind the podium.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”
The U.S. Secret Service surrounded Trump. A video shows a sniper fired at the shooter. The witness saw agents approach.
“They crawled up on the roof, they had their guns pointed at him, made sure he was dead,” the witness said. “He was dead, and that was it. It was over.”
CNN reported law enforcement confirmed the location of the shooter as described by the witness and a video by another witness showed the shooter dead on the roof.
The loud communication among the agents reflected a coordinated response. Someone near Trump shouted, “Shooter is down!”
There was blood on Trump when he stood back up. He raised his right fist, as U.S. Secret Service agents formed a ring around him to protect him while moving him away from the podium and into a vehicle.
The U.S. Secret Service reported Trump was “safe” and there was an investigation into a “possible assassination attempt.”
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
The shooter died, according to Butler County District Attorney Richard A. Goldinger. According to the U.S. Secret Service, a rally attendee also died and two others were wounded.
The U.S. Secret Service counterattack group in military gear rushed into the rally. U.S. Secret Service agents in suits wielded their guns. Some in the crowd screamed in terror.
Rico Elmore, a Republican who was a speaker at the rally, told CNN that he was walking away from the stage where Trump was when the shooting happened. He saw a man he had never met get shot.
“I jumped over the barrier and put my hand on the guy’s head that was profusely bleeding,” Elmore said.
The U.S. Secret Service later released a statement saying the incident was an “active investigation.”
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Law enforcement evacuated the rally and used crime scene tape to block an area. A police helicopter flew above the area.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, released a statement: “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
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Photos from the rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by guards during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. Texas Republicans expressed concern after the event. Credit: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (Copyright 2024 by REUTERS - All rights reserved.)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is covered by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)(AP Foto/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Law enforcement officers gather at campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. Trump's campaign said in a statement that the former president was "fine" after a shooting at his rally in Butler (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waves from the stage as he is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surround by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)U.S. Secret Service agents converge to cover Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage by U.S. Secret Service at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Police snipers return fire after shots were fired while Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Law enforcement officers gather at the campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. Trump's campaign said in a statement that the former president was "fine" after a shooting at his rally in Butler (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)People hug after Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump was helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
CNN, ABC News, and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Torres is reporting from the Local 10 News headquarters in Pembroke Park.
Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.
