Local politicians react to Donald Trump assassination attempt at Pennsylvania rally

The former president is doing 'fine' after being shot in the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, authorities say.

Former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, authorities say. Trump said he was shot in the ear, and his campaign said he was doing 'fine' after the shooting.
Jack Gruber/USA TODAY

Former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, authorities say.

Gunfire set off panic at the rally, which was taking place days before Trump was to accept the Republican nomination. Trump said he was shot in the ear, and his campaign said he was doing "fine" after the shooting, the Associated Press reported.


MORE: City employees expected in the office Monday after judge denies injunction on mayor's policy


The shooter was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who was fatally shot by Secret Service agents, authorities say. One attendee was also killed and two spectators were critically injured, officials say. The investigation is ongoing.

"I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania," President Joe Biden wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it."

Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick was sitting in the front row at the rally and described the "scary moment" to ABC's "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.

"The president was taken off the stage, and there was a real confusion of what was going on, whether there were multiple shooters, whether the shooting was done ... an inch difference and the president would have been dead," McCormick said.

Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Mike Kelly was also in the front row at the rally, and told CBS News it was "surreal."

"That's not what we do in America," Kelly said. "We go out and we vote, and we vote for whomever we want. But if we don't like the other person ... who is running for office, you don't kill them."

Other politicians from Pennsylvania reacted to the shooting on social media:



Follow Franki & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @wordsbyfranki | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Have a news tip? Let us know.