Trump says he was shot at rally in attempted assassination; bystander killed, shooter dead

Former President Donald Trump says he was shot in the ear after a gunman sitting on the roof of a nearby building opened fire during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, a shocking incident that the FBI called an assassination attempt.

The shooting, which sent the nation into a frenzy on the eve of the Republican National Convention, left one spectator dead, two others seriously injured and threw the event into chaos. As the former president spoke, shots rang out and Trump, his hand to his ear, fell to the ground where he was surrounded by police before being dragged off the stage behind him into a waiting car amid screams and confusion from the crowd.

The shooting, which is being investigated by the FBI under the auspices of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, comes amid a heightened threat situation.

The Secret Service said in a statement that a gunman “fired multiple shots into the stage from an elevated position outside the venue,” after which agents “incapacitated the gunman, who is now deceased.”

The gunman fired as many as eight rounds from an AR-style rifle while sitting on a rooftop next to the location and was 200-300 yards away at the time of the shooting, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

Police said it was “surprising” that the suspect fired as many shots as he allegedly did. Police called the shooter a “very determined attacker.”

One bystander was killed and two others were seriously injured, the Secret Service said in a statement. They were all adult males, Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said at a news conference. The shots fired were “scattered” and the injured and dead were scattered throughout the crowd, he said.

The FBI early Sunday morning identified the suspected shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The FBI had previously said it believed it had identified the shooter, but it was not releasing his name during the sensitive early stages of the investigation, a law enforcement source said. Initial indications were that the shooter was a lone gunman, but the situation was fluid, the source said.

FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek had previously said the agency was trying to assess a motive for the shooting and confirm the identity of the shooter. “It’s biometric confirmation, so there was no identification on the individual, for example, so we’re looking at photographs and we’re trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation.”

Trump appeared to have blood on his right ear as he was carried off the stage, and he was seen saying “fight” and pumping his fist in the air.

Bivens described a “chaotic scene” in which law enforcement acted “heroically.” Bivens said authorities were investigating reports of suspicious events they had received before the shooting.

‘Something was wrong,’ Trump says

A Trump spokesman said in a statement: “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their swift action during this horrific incident. He is doing well and is being evaluated at a local medical facility.” He was released later that evening and left the Butler area under Secret Service protection, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote on X.

In a statement posted on Truth Social hours after the shooting, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper portion of my right ear.”

“I knew immediately that something was wrong, I heard a whooshing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet tear through my skin. There was a lot of blood loss, so then I realized what was happening,” he wrote in the message, in which he expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased rallygoer.

“It’s unbelievable that something like this could happen in our country,” he added. Trump’s campaign says he still plans to attend the RNC.

Outpouring of support

The incident sent shockwaves through the political world, drawing condemnation from both sides but also a wave of support.

President Joe Biden called the incident “sickening” and said “this kind of violence has no place in America.”

“We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.” Biden spoke to Trump after the shooting.

And Vice President Kamala Harris said she was “relieved that he was not seriously injured.”

“Violence like this has no place in our country,” he added. “We must all condemn this heinous act and do our part to ensure it does not lead to more violence.”

Donald Trump Jr. told ABC News that he has spoken to his father, who remains in the hospital. He said his father is “in good spirits” as he remains under observation, adding that his father “will never stop.”

“This is the fighter America needs!” Trump’s son Eric wrote in a post on X, including a photo of his father’s fist in the air.

And Trump’s daughter Ivanka called the shooting “senseless” and wrote “I love you, Dad” on X.

Former Vice President Mike Pence said on X that he was “praying for President Trump and urging every American to join us.”

In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro said: “We condemn this violence in the strongest terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today.”

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who is on Trump’s shortlist for potential running mate, blamed President Biden for the incident, without elaborating or citing evidence.

“Today is not an isolated incident,” Vance wrote on X. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to the attempted assassination of President Trump.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, in a statement about X, promised a “FULL INVESTIGATION INTO TODAY’S TRAGIC EVENTS.”

‘People panicked’

Trump was speaking to the crowd about immigration when pops were heard and chaos broke out. The former president was seen clutching his ear before falling to the ground and being surrounded and protected by Secret Service agents.

Dave McCormick, who is running for U.S. Senate, told ABC News he was in the front row of the rally. He said he heard “seven or eight” shots.

“People were panicking,” he said. “Everyone fell to the ground.”

Witness Leonard Verdetto said everyone at the gathering was “happy” but then he heard “popping sounds” and described 6-8 shots being fired.

“None of us realized at the time that all those people were saying, ‘Get down!’ ‘Get down!’”

“We all prayed… We prayed to him that he would keep us safe and protected.”

Another witness, a speaker at the event, Rico Elmore, said he was about 20 feet away from Trump at the time. He said he first thought the shots were “fireworks.”

“I turned around and someone yelled, ‘Medic.'” He then took off his tie and sprang into action, realizing there was no time for a medic to get there, but by the time he got there, he said, it was too late. “The person… was bleeding out through the head.”

He said, “I tried to close the wound” by holding a towel against it until the medical team arrived.

“I just saw the bullets hitting the stands, bouncing,” added witness John Dohanich. He said there was a burst of shots, followed by a pause, and then the rest of the shots.

“I hear everybody screaming ‘get down!’ ‘get down,'” and he said he tried to help people get down. “I just told them to keep praying, stay calm.”

After the incident, Trump, with blood on his ear and the side of his face, was quickly escorted off the stage, standing on the podium with his fist in the air. He was also helped into a vehicle to be taken away.

Heavily armed security personnel took to the stage as he was led away.

“An incident occurred on the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania,” the Secret Service said in a statement. “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an ongoing Secret Service investigation and further information will be released as it becomes available.”

The White House said in a statement: “The President has received an initial briefing regarding the incident at former President Trump’s rally.”

After the shooting, there was a heavy police presence outside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

Violence ‘absolutely unacceptable’

“Violence directed at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable,” Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, said in a statement. “It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”

Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, a potential vice presidential nominee, wrote on social media: “Please join me in praying for our President Trump and everyone at that rally. I hope everyone is OK.”

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a potential vice presidential candidate, posted a message on X calling for prayers for the former president.

“Please join Kathryn and me in praying for President Trump, his family, and everyone at the meeting today.”

Another vice presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, also posted a message on X asking for prayers for Trump and those attending the rally.

“I am praying for President Trump and everyone at the rally in Pennsylvania today.”

“ATF is responding to assist the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement partners. This is a top priority. We have no further comment at this time,” ATF said in a statement.

ABC News’ Isabella Murray, Jack Date and Luke Barr contributed to this story.