Donald Trump Injured in Campaign Rally Shooting, Attacker Identified as Pennsylvania Man

Pennsylvania, July 14 (Reuters) – Donald Trump was shot in the ear during an attempted assassination at a campaign rally on Saturday. This attack is likely to reshape the U.S. presidential race and raises sharp questions about the security measures provided to the Republican candidate.

In the moments following the shooting, Trump’s security team quickly surrounded and shielded him. He emerged shortly after, his face streaked with blood, and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing “Fight! Fight! Fight!” The Trump campaign later reported that he was “doing well,” having suffered no major injuries aside from a wound on his upper right ear.

Early on Sunday, the FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the “subject involved” in the attempted assassination. State voter records show that he was a registered Republican. According to the Secret Service, Crooks was shot dead by agents after he opened fire from the roof of a building approximately 140 meters from the stage where Trump was speaking. An AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle was recovered near his body.

The attack resulted in the death of one rally attendee and critically injured two other spectators. Law enforcement officials stated that they have not yet determined the motive behind the attack.

Trump, 78, had just begun his speech when the shots rang out. He initially grabbed his right ear and then dropped to his knees behind the podium before being covered by Secret Service agents. He reappeared about a minute later, without his red “Make America Great Again” hat, and was heard saying “wait, wait,” before pumping his fist in the air. He was then rushed to a black SUV by agents.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump later shared on his Truth Social platform, following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh. “Much bleeding took place.”

Trump departed from Butler under Secret Service protection and later arrived at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

This incident marks the first shooting of a U.S. president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempted assassination of Republican President Ronald Reagan. The attack has prompted immediate scrutiny over security lapses by the Secret Service, which provides former presidents, including Trump, with lifetime protection. The FBI has taken the lead in investigating the incident.

The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump faces a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Current opinion polls, including those by Reuters/Ipsos, indicate that the two are in a close contest.