Shock in the USA: Shots are fired at one of Donald Trump’s campaign events, blood streams down his face. The most important questions and answers.
The most important things at a glance
Former US President Donald Trump was shot at at a campaign event. Even though much is still unclear, there are already initial findings about the course of events and the shooter.
- Live blog: Read all developments on the shooting of Trump here
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) classifies the incident as an “attempted murder” against former President Donald Trump. t-online clarifies the most important questions.
The incident occurred at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday afternoon (12:15 a.m. German time) at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The gunman fired several shots from an “elevated position” outside the rally before being killed by Secret Service employees. One spectator was fatally shot in the attack and two others were injured. Trump himself said he was hit in the ear by a graze. Here is more information on the Secret Service’s actions.
Police said the shooter was on the roof of a building. Videos show Trump being quickly carried to safety by security forces while blood can be seen on his face.
The shooter is 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He comes from Bethel Park, which is about an hour’s drive from the Butler venue in the south of Pittsburgh. He also said he could not say anything about the motive. He is registered as a Republican, but has also donated to the Democrats.
The attacker is said to have fired from a rooftop on the edge of the event site. Secret Service snipers killed him after he fired several shots. Read more details about the shooter’s identity here.
Rally participants described the aftermath as “chaos” with widespread confusion. Some initially thought the sounds were fireworks, while others reported seeing people being hit by bullets.
According to the Secret Service, at least one spectator died in the incident and two other participants were seriously injured. The identities have not yet been released. A spokesman said Trump himself was “fine” and the Secret Service said the former president was safe. Trump wrote on social media that he was hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.”
Several federal agencies are now involved, the FBI is on site. The US Federal Police confirm that the shooting is being investigated as an “attempted murder”.
The House of Representatives also wants to investigate the incident. “The American people deserve to know the truth. We will invite Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other relevant officials from DHS and the FBI to a hearing before our committees as soon as possible,” spokesman Mike Johnson wrote on X.
How do Biden and others react?
President Joe Biden spoke with Trump after the shooting. Biden said earlier that he was grateful that Trump was safe. He condemned the shooting and called for the country to unite, saying, “There is no place for this kind of violence in America.” Biden returned to the White House early from Delaware to receive further updates on the shooting. Read how Trump’s entourage reacted here.
Leading politicians from the US and around the world have also spoken out, condemning the shooting and expressing their condolences for the victims. Read more reactions from politicians around the world here. Former President Barack Obama wishes Trump a speedy recovery. “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” the Democrat writes on the short message service X.