Where did it happen?
The shooting took place at a presidential campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a city in the western part of the state about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh.
What happened?
About six minutes into Trump’s speech, the former president could be seen clutching his ear after popping noises blared through the rally. Trump ducked to the ground as several Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and surrounded him on all sides. Screams from onlookers rang out as the scene unfolded.
Roughly a minute later, agents helped Trump get up from the ground and stand. He held his fist up to the crowd, prompting cheers from supporters. Several agents then rushed him off the stage and escorted him into a vehicle.
Blood could be seen on Trump’s ear and on the side of his face. He later said on his social media site, Truth Social, that “a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
Is Trump alive?
Trump is safe, a spokesperson for the Secret Service wrote on X, and he is expected to survive.
Was it an assassination attempt? Which agencies are investigating?
Law enforcement is investigating the incident as an assassination attempt.
“This evening, we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt against our former president, Donald Trump,” said Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of FBI Pittsburgh field office.
The FBI said it is leading the investigation and that special agents from its Pittsburgh field office responded immediately. They are working alongside U.S. Secret Service, state and local law enforcement.
“We will continue to support this investigation with the full resources of the FBI, alongside our partners at the U.S. Secret Service and state and local law enforcement,” the FBI said in a statement. “Anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is asked to call our tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
The House of Representatives will also be investigating the shooting, according to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., earlier said his committee would be investigating.
Who is the shooter? What was the motive?
The shooter is dead, Secret Service confirmed on X. The shooter’s identity has not yet been confirmed, but according to four senior U.S. law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation, the shooter was male.
“US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated,” the statement said.
Federal investigators have tentatively identified him as approximately 20 years old and from Pennsylvania, according to five senior U.S. law enforcement officials briefed on the matter.
It was not known whether the shooter was acting alone or in coordination with others. It is unknown what the shooter’s motive was.
“We do not currently have an identified motive, although our investigators are working tirelessly to attempt to identify what that motive was,” Rojek said.
There does not appear to be any evidence currently that the shooting had any link to a foreign actor, according to a U.S. official.