Trump injured in assassination attempt at Pennsylvania rally

A sniper opened fire Saturday while Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, hitting the former president’s ear, killing a bystander and seriously injuring two others, federal officials say. The suspect was shot dead by the Secret Service.

The attack happened at 6:11 p.m. on Saturday, just minutes after Trump took the stage to address a rally at the Butler Farm Show Grounds near the small city of Butler, roughly 27 miles (43 kilometers) north of Pittsburgh.

Officials said the gunman, who was later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, used a rifle to fire from the roof of a nearby building. Secret Service snipers returned fire, killing the suspect.

On the stage, Trump immediately reached for his ear when the gunfire erupted, which was followed by Secret Service agents rushing in, pushing the former president to the ground and protecting him with their bodies. Once the shooter was killed, Trump stood back up with blood visible on his ear. He was then rushed to a nearby vehicle and taken to a hospital for treatment.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed that two people were killed in the attack, including the gunman and one person in the audience. Two other bystanders were reported to be in critical condition.

The motive for the assassination attempt was not immediately known.

Multiple witnesses said they tried to warn police about a gunman on a nearby roof in the moments before the shooting, but agents were not able to prevent the attack. House Republicans immediately announced an investigation into the Secret Service’s handling of security at the site.

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” President Joe Biden in response to the shooting. “It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”