Panic as Trump Survives Shooting in Apparent Assassination Attempt

*I was hit by bullet on my right ear, says Trump*Biden, Clinton, Obama urge Americans to unite against violence
*US Secret Service confirms Trump is safe, launches investigation
*Trump is fine, says his campaign
*Suspected gunman, rally attendee feared killed

Ejiofor Alike and Festus Akanbi

There was panic yesterday in the United States after suspected gunshots were fired at the campaign rally of the former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump said he was shot and hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.”  
Apparently injured in the suspected assassination attempt, the former president was rushed off stage by the United States Secret Service.
While a suspected gunman and at least one rally attendee were feared killed in the attack, Trump’s campaign however said in a statement that the former president was “fine”.

This is just as the United States President, Joe Biden; former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton have urged Americans to unite against violence, stressing that they were happy to hear that Trump was safe.  

 In separate statements, the American leaders declared that violence has no place in the United States.
Secret Service spokesperson, Anthony Guglielmi also confirmed that Trump was safe, adding that the incident is under investigation, according to the BBC.
Though the situation remains unclear, about five minutes into Trump’s campaign speech at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, loud bangs rang out as he was speaking and the crowd yelled “duck” as the apparent shots rang out.

With blood appearing on the side of his face, Trump rose from the stage after a group of Secret Service agents who rushed the stage surrounded him and he spoke with them for several seconds before he was rushed off stage, with his fist in the air.

His campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, however said in a statement that he was “fine”.
“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. More details will follow,” the statement added.
AP reported that the shooting at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee.

A local prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee were killed.
The Secret Service said: “The former President is safe.”
Secret Service Chief of Communications, Guglielmi, in a statement said: “An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”

Two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity said the shooter was not an attendee at the rally.
The officials said the shooter was engaged by members of the US Secret Service counterassault team and killed.
According to the AP, Butler County’s District Attorney, Richard Goldinger said in a phone interview that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.

Before the suspected gunshots, the former US president was delivering a speech, saying, “then the worst president in the history of our country took over and look what happened to our country. Probably 20 million people… and that’s a little bit old that chart, that chart is a couple of months old. If you really want to see something, take a look at…”

His security rushed to take him off the stage, but he was heard saying, “Let me get my shoes,” raising his fist in the air.
Trump is seeking a return to the White House and running against President Biden.
Many Republican politicians – including Tennessee Senator, Marsha Blackburn; Kansas Senator Roger Marshall, Guy Reschenthaler and Tim Burchett, among others – posted “praying for Trump” on X/Twitter.

Meanwhile, President Biden yesterday received an updated briefing on the incident from the Director of the United States Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle; Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House Homeland Security Adviser, Liz Sherwood-Randall.

In a three-paragraph statement, President Biden read: “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
“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, as we await further information.
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”