Trump says ‘bullet pierced upper part of right ear’ in rally shooting; Biden says ‘everybody must condemn’ political violence – latest

While serving as a Democratic congresswoman in 2011, Gabrielle Giffords was the target of an attempted assassination that left her with life-altering injuries.

She was among those condemning political violence following the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally today:

Donald Trump still plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week, where he is scheduled to be formally renominated as president, his campaign and the Republican National Committee said.

“As was communicated earlier this evening, President Trump is doing well and grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their fast action,” Trump campaign senior advisors Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita and Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley and co-chairman Lara Trump said.

“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States. As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”

Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said his department was “taking every possible measure” to ensure the safety of Donald Trump, Joe Biden and their campaigns after the shooting at the ex-president’s rally today:

In May, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans were concerned that political violence could occur following the 5 November presidential rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Here’s more about the survey:

Two out of three Americans say they are concerned that political violence could follow the 5 November election rematch between Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor and challenger, Donald Trump, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The survey of 3,934 US adults found widespread worries that the country could see a repeat of the unrest that followed Trump’s 2020 election defeat, when the then president’s false claim that his loss was the result of fraud prompted thousands of followers to storm the US Capitol.

Trump is once again laying the groundwork to contest the results should he lose to Biden a second time.

In an online poll, 68% of respondents – including 83% of Democrats and 65% of Republicans – said they agreed with a statement that they were concerned that extremists will resort to violence if they are unhappy with the election outcome.

Overall, 15% of respondents disagreed and 16% were unsure. In recent interviews, Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election results and at campaign rallies has portrayed Democrats as cheats.

ABC News reports that the person who opened fired on Donald Trump’s rally, killing one and injuring two in what law enforcement officials reportedly believe was an assassination attempt, was perched on a rooftop and used an AR-style rifle:

Here’s more on that sort of weapon:

Some Republicans have accused Joe Biden of setting the stage for the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally, citing language he used against the ex-president on the campaign trail.

Here’s Ohio senator JD Vance, who is said to be a potential pick as Trump’s running mate:

And Georgia representative Mike Collins:

The Secret Service has confirmed that their officers killed the person who opened fire on Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania and that, in addition to the one attendee killed, two had been “critically injured”:

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said he was hit by a “bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear” when a gunman opened fire on his rally in Pennsylvania:

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” Trump wrote, noting that the suspected shooter is dead.

He then gave his version of what happened:

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, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.

It has also been reported that Trump was hit by glass fragments.

Donald Trump’s Republican allies have begun sharing a photo of him pumping his fist in the air after the incident at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania today that left two people dead.

Here’s congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida:

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of North Carolina:

And Arkansas’s governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

The BBC says they spoke with a witness who said they saw someone with a rifle outside the Trump rally, and tried to point him out to police, before he opened fire.

Here’s what they found:

One witness, Greg, told the BBC he was outside the rally and could only hear the former president talking, when he noticed a man on top of a roof.

“We noticed the guy crawling up the roof of the building beside us, 50 feet away from us,” Greg said. “He had a rifle, we could clearly see him with a rifle.”

Greg said they pointed the man out to police.

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“Next thing you know, I’m thinking to myself why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off the stage?” he said. “I’m standing there pointing at him… the next thing you know, five shots ring out.” Bear in mind the situation is still fluid and the BBC cannot fully verify these early witness reports.

Vice-president Kamala Harris has joined the chorus condemning political violence after the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally today:

I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s event in Pennsylvania.

Doug and I are relieved that he is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting.

We are grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action.

Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.

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In an interview with CNN, Butler county district attorney Richard A Goldinger said that in addition to the two people killed at the Trump rally, one other person was injured and in “serious condition”.

He also said that the shooter had been outside of the security perimeter, meaning he did not go through magnetometers intended to reveal firearms.

“I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds, and I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out, how he got there,” he said.

Joe Biden called for widespread condemnation of political violence following the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally.

“The bottom line is, the Trump rally is a rally that he should have been able to be conducted peacefully without any problem,” the president said. “But the idea, the idea that there’s political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of. It’s just not appropriate. Everybody must condemn it.”

Asked is he believed Trump was the victim of an assassination attempt, Biden said, “I don’t know enough … I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts.”

Joe Biden said he is hoping to speak with Donald Trump after at least two people were killed at his rally in Pennsylvania.

“I have tried to get ahold of Donald. He is with his doctors. Apparently, he’s been doing well. I plan on talking to him shortly, I hope when I get back to the telephone,” Biden said in remarks scheduled following the shooting.

The Associated Press reports that the Biden campaign is pausing its advertising after at least two people were killed in a shooting at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

“The Biden campaign is pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible,” a campaign official said.