NEW YORK: Former US President Donald Trump has been discharged from hospital following an assassination attempt on Saturday during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Bloomberg, a New York-based international news agency reported.
Trump sustained a gunshot wound to the right ear amidst a chaotic scene where gunfire erupted, resulting in two fatalities including the assailant, and injuries to two other attendees.
World leaders expressed shock and condemnation over the incident, denouncing political violence and extending wishes for Trump’s swift recovery. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson condemned the shooting as “an act of political violence.”
The 78-year-old Republican nominee for the 2024 election had just begun delivering his speech when gunshots rang out, causing panic among the rally attendees. Video footage captured Trump momentarily crouching behind the podium, clutching his injured ear, before Secret Service Commandos swiftly intervened, surrounding him for protection.
Moments later, Trump was escorted offstage, visibly bleeding from his ear and cheek, and promptly transported to a nearby hospital by Secret Service agents.
On his Truth Social platform following the incident, Trump expressed disbelief, stating, “It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country.”
Media reports indicated that the FBI has taken over the investigation, treating the shooting as an assassination attempt. Secret Service Communications Chief Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that the shooter had been “neutralized.”
A spokesperson for Trump confirmed to CNN that the former president received medical treatment and was subsequently released from the hospital.
The shooting occurred just days before the Republican National Convention, where Trump is slated to secure his party’s nomination for the upcoming election, scheduled for November 5. Pennsylvania, where the incident took place, holds significant importance as a battleground state.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who was campaigning in Pennsylvania on the same day, expressed relief at Trump’s safety. US President Joe Biden also issued a statement, offering prayers for Trump and condemning the violence, urging national unity.
Law enforcement sources revealed that the suspected shooter, identified as a 20-year-old, was positioned on a rooftop outside the rally venue at Butler Farm Show Grounds.
Trump’s campaign website indicated no further events scheduled before the convention, with plans to proceed as planned in Milwaukee.
Political figures from both parties swiftly condemned the violence. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted his horror at the news and relief at Trump’s safety, emphasizing that “political violence has no place in our country.” Speaker Mike Johnson called the incident “horrific” and called for hearings with relevant security officials.
While incidents of political violence are rare in the United States, the nation has a history of presidents and candidates being targeted, including the assassination attempts on Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford in previous decades, as well as the assassinations of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, and William McKinley.
