Former President Donald Trump has talked about a shooting at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one person died, and another was badly hurt.
Trump got a small injury during the shooting.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said in a statement seen by newsmen on Sunday.
He also shared his sadness for the victims’ families. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured,” he said.
The shooting happened as Trump started his last rally before the Republican Party convention. Witnesses said they heard loud bangs that sounded like gunshots, causing panic at the event.
John Yeykal, a person from Franklin, Pennsylvania, described what he saw, saying, “We saw a lot of people go down, looking confused. I heard the shots, it sounded like between firecrackers and a small caliber handgun.”
Trump talked about his injury, saying, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”
The Secret Service quickly took Trump off the stage and into a car. They later said the “former President is safe” and called the area an active crime scene.
Trump’s statement said the shooter is now dead, but added, “Nothing is known at this time about the shooter.”
Both President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama spoke against the violence and wished Trump a quick recovery.
Biden said, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Obama agreed, saying, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.”
