What We Know So Far About The Trump Rally Shooting

Former President Donald Trump was giving a speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a series of what sounded like gunshots rang out, causing rallygoers to scream.

Trump had been talking about illegal immigration. "If you really want to see something that's sad, take a look at what happened ..." he said, before the gunfire stopped him mid-sentence. He then covered his right ear with his hand before ducking down behind the lectern he was speaking at. Secret Service agents rushed to his aid, jumping on top of him. More shots were fired, and Trump remained down for a few moments before the agents helped him up, continuing to shield him with their bodies. Ever the showman, Trump seized the moment by thrusting a fist in the air as blood streamed down his face from an apparent wound on his ear.

Trump got a few fist pumps in before he was helped down the stairs and escorted to an awaiting SUV. Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the ex-president's campaign, later told The Associated Press in a statement, "President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility." One member of the audience was reportedly killed, as was the suspected shooter.

In response to the shooting, several Democrats took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to call for peace and express their relief that Donald Trump wasn't killed. "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," wrote President Joe Biden. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also shared a message about the terrifying incident that happened in his state, writing, "Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable." Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg added his voice to the chorus, calling for a violence-free election, also saying, "In this horrible moment, encouraged to hear President Trump's team indicate that the former president is doing well."

With the Republican National Convention just days away, the Democratic governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers, revealed he was already thinking about security at the convention, which will be held in Milwaukee. He shared that he had reached out to event officials in the wake of the shooting and was awaiting updates like everyone else.

Meanwhile, some people are convinced that Trump surviving what appeared to be an assassination attempt has delivered him the presidency, as it's something he will be able to campaign off of and use to get American voters to rally around him.