Donald Trump has spoken out on social media for the first time since he was shot during a presidential campaign rally.
Speaking on his own social media platform Truth Social, the Republican presidential candidate thanked the US Secret Service and “all of law enforcement” for their “rapid response” to the attack.
“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured,” he said.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.”
Trump went on to confirm that he had been shot in the ear.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” he said.
“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 realised then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Gunshots abruptly interrupted Donald Trump’s campaign speech in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday during an outdoor campaign rally, as a bullet grazed Trump’s ear, causing him to grimace and raise his hand to his head before dropping to the ground. Secret Service agents quickly swarmed the stage, shouting “Get down!” as screams erupted from the crowd.
Footage of the incident quickly spread on social media, with subsequent news reports confirming that the shooter is dead, and one rally attendee was killed, while two others were reportedly critically injured. Trump’s team reported that he is “fine” and in “good spirits” after being whisked away to a nearby medical facility, while law enforcement officials are investigating the event as an assassination attempt.
Before he was rushed from the stage, Trump raised his fist in an act of defiance, chanting “fight, fight, fight” to the crowd.
Subsequently, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, said that “multiple” gunshots were fired towards the stage where Trump was speaking, and that the shots had come “from outside the rally venue”, but that the shooter had been “neutralised” by Secret Service agents.
“US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated,” he said.
“One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured. The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).”
A dramatic photograph of Trump raising his fist triumphantly in the immediate aftermath of the shooting by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Evan Vucci of AP has gone viral on social media in the hours since the attack, with many commentators claiming that it will become a world historic image and will feature in history books.
If you're going to share this photo, please give credit to @evanvucci who was risking his neck to get this shot, and his agency @AP. This will be in "100 photos that changed the world" books for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/4NBSwMNoR7
— Gerry Lynch (@gerrylynch) July 13, 2024
The shooting, which is being investigated as an assassination attempt, was condemned as an act of “sick political violence” by Democrat President Joe Biden, Trump’s main election opponent, who called for greater unity and widespread condemnation of the attack.
US President Joe Biden has condemned the “sick political violence” against his opponent Donald Trump after the latter was shot at a campaign rally, as law enforcement officials investigate the event as an assassination attempt:https://t.co/zSXNFNLhLO
— gript (@griptmedia) July 14, 2024