Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Trump, 78, was shot in the ear but quickly evacuated by the Secret Service. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was killed by agents. Witnesses reported shots fired from a building near the stage.
Despite the injury, Trump reassured supporters he was “fine” and continued to show defiance. The FBI is investigating the incident, which left one attendee dead and two others critically injured. This attack, the most serious on a presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1981, has raised concerns about political violence ahead of the upcoming election.
President Joe Biden condemned the violence and spoke with Trump, while security measures for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee are expected to be heightened. The shooter used an AR-style rifle and was positioned alarmingly close to the stage. Homeland Security is coordinating with both campaigns to ensure safety.