BETHEL PARK, Pennsylvania – Former president Donald Trump said Sunday that “God alone” had spared him from a brazen assassination attempt, an act of political violence the likes of which America has not seen since an attack on President Ronald Reagan’s life 43 years ago.
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was recovering after he was injured in the right ear when a sniper opened fire Saturday evening with an AR-15-style rifle from a rooftop about 400 feet outside a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania. One spectator was killed and two others were “critically injured,” the Secret Service said.
“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social on Sunday morning. “We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
Former first lady Melania Trump also issued a powerful statement Sunday, calling for unity and saying “the winds of change have arrived.” She spoke of the fear she felt when the gunman opened fire. “When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she said.
The FBI identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, outside Pittsburgh. Crooks was killed by Secret Service agents moments after gunfire erupted at the former president’s rally.
President Joe Biden, who is in a razor’s edge race with Trump, and a host of Republican and Democratic politicians condemned the shooting. “There is no place for this kind of violence in America. It’s sick. It’s sick,” Biden said.
More:Trump wounded in assassination attempt. Biden calls it ‘sick’: Here’s what we know
Developments:
∎ House Speaker Mike Johnson said on the TODAY show Sunday said that we have to “turn the temperature down” in this country and promised that Congress will do a full investigation of the incident “to determine where there were lapses in security and anything else that the American people need to know.”
∎ Two patients who attended Trump’s rally are being treated at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and remain in critical condition Sunday, Nikki Buccina, a spokesperson for the Allegheny Health Network confirmed.
∎ The gunman’s father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN Saturday evening that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” and would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before sharing details about his son.
∎ The gunman had explosive devices in his car, the Wall Street Journal reported. Police received multiple reports of suspicious packages near where the shooter was, officials said, according to the report. An Allegheny County Bomb Squad vehicle entered the area cordoned off by police Sunday morning.
Biden to deliver remarks on rally shooting
Biden will deliver remarks on the assassination attempt of Trump in a 1:30 p.m. address Sunday from the White House Roosevelt Room, the White House said.
Biden spoke to Trump by phone Saturday night following the shooting at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that killed one spectator and injured two others in addition to Trump.
Biden has condemned the shooting as “sick” and called for the country to unite against political violence.
PA governor identifies victim killed in Trump rally shooting
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro identified the man killed in the shooting at Trump’s Butler rally as Corey Comperatore. Shapiro said he spoke with the wife and two daughters of Comperatore and described him as a father of two girls, a firefighter and an avid supporter of the former president.
“Corey died a hero,” Shapiro said. “Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally. Corey was the very best of us. May his memory be a blessing.”
– Erin Mansfield
Neighbors who knew Crooks stunned by shooting
Jason Kohler attended Bethel Park High School with Crooks and said he remembers the 20-year-old sat alone at lunch and was “bullied every day.” Kids picked on Crooks for wearing camouflage to class and his quiet demeanor, Kohler, 21, said.Since hearing Crooks has been named as the shooter, Kohler has been speaking with classmates who knew him, most of whom are stunned by the news.“It’s really hard to comprehend,” he said.
In Bethel Park, Dean Sierka, 52, said he has known Crooks and his parents for years.Neighbors separated by only a few houses, Sierka’s daughter attended elementary, middle and high school with Crooks and remembers him as quiet and shy. Sierka and his daughter Lily said they would see Crooks at least once a week, often when Crooks was walking to work.“You wouldn’t have expected this,” Sierka told USA TODAY. “The parents and the family are all really nice people.”“It’s crazy,” he said.
− Christopher Cann
What we know about the weapon used by the shooter
Joseph Price, special agent in charge of the ATF in Pittsburgh, said the weapon used by the shooter was a rifle.“It was nothing special,” he said in an interview in the parking lot of the Butler Township Municipal Building.Price said investigators are still determining how many shots the shooter fired. He said three male spectators were shot; one died and two were critically injured.− Stephanie Warsmith
White House says Biden call with Trump ‘respectful’
The president spoke with Trump on Saturday night after Trump was targeted by a sniper at a rally in Pennsylvania
Biden told reporters when he initially tried to call Trump, the former president was with his doctors. A White House official said later Saturday night that Biden had spoken with Trump; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Bob Dandoy, the mayor of Butler, Pennsylvania, where the rally was held.
Biden’s phone call Saturday night with Trump was “good, respectful and brief,” according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity saying it was a private discussion.
– Michael Collins and Joey Garrison
‘Boom boom boom, then screams’: Neighbors watched from nearby homes
The streets around the Butler fairgrounds were bustling Sunday morning with law enforcers blocking entry to the site of the shooting. Pat English told USA TODAY he was at the Saturday rally but left when his grandson got overheated.
“We watched it from my deck,” English said, pointing to his backyard that borders the fairgrounds. “I heard a boom boom boom and then screams. I could see people running and the police run in.”A few doors down, Lonnie and Kelli Rensel thought they heard fireworks. But then came the screams. “That’s when we knew something was wrong,” Kelli Rensel said.Lonnie Rensel, who viewed the rally from his childhood home that borders the grounds, saw a cloud of dust rise from the site.“A stray bullet must have hit a the speakers hanging by a lift because they collapsed,” he said.
−Bryce Buyakie
Melania Trump urges Americans to ‘ascend above the hate’
Former first lady Melania Trump called on Americans in a statement Sunday to “ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence” after an assassination attempt on her husband.
Melania Trump thanked the Secret Service agents for protecting the former president and offered her sincerest sympathy to the victims who were shot at the rally.
“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she wrote in a statement.
The former first lady went on to criticize the “monster” who attempted the assassination, adding that Donald Trump has been labeled “an inhuman political machine.”
“A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,” Melania Trump wrote. “The core facets of my husband’s life – his human side – were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times.”
Trump called on Americans to transcend politics and emphasized “love, compassion, kindness and empathy are necessities.”
“This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence,” she said. “We all want a world where respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends.”
– Rebecca Morin
Maps, graphics show how the Trump shooting unfolded
As the investigation into the shooting at Trump’s rally continues, maps, graphics and a timeline by USA TODAY show how the incident unfolded.
At 6:11 p.m. while Trump is speaking, multiple shots are fired towards the stage, and just a minute later, Secret Service agents jump on top of the former president and escort him off stage. At 6:14 p.m., his motorcade leaves the fairgrounds.
Explore the full timeline and graphics here.
− Sudiksha Kochi
Officials: Trump campaign to tighten security
Top officials at the Donald Trump campaign told staff members that they are re-doubling security measures at their offices in light of Saturday’s assassination attempt.
“We are enhancing the armed security presence with 24/7 officers on-site,” said a staff memo signed by senior campaign officials Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita. “Additional assessments will be in place. Our highest priority is to keep all of you on this staff safe.”
The officials urged employees to stay away from offices in Washington, D.C., and West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday “as we assess both locations.”
Wiles and LaCivita also asked campaign employees not to comment on Saturday’s shooting. “We condemn all forms of violence,” they said, “and will not tolerate dangerous rhetoric on social media.”
The memo also said the Republican convention would go on as scheduled.
− David Jackson
Trump’s top finance person launches GoFundMe for rally shooting victims
A high-profile political fundraiser from Florida has launched a “President Trump Authorized” GoFundMe aiming to raise $1 million for those “wounded or killed” in Saturday’s attempt on the former president’s life.
Meredith O’Rourke of Tallahassee, also Trump’s top finance person, is listed as the organizer of the online fundraiser, which as of 10 a.m. Sunday listed over $600,000 in donations, including $50,000 from musician Kid Rock, a major Trump backer.
Other top donations so far include $30,000 from former Republican challenger Vivek Ramaswamy and $25,000 from investor and entrepreneur John Shahidi, a Southern California native behind several companies, among them Shots Studios, described as “an entertainment company that uses data to create the next digital stars.”
Also donating were conservative commentator Ben Shapiro ($15,000), Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson ($10,000) and Trump’s daughter Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner ($10,000).
− Jim Rosica
Secret Service pushed Trump to the stage, eyewitness says
Erin Autenreith, who sat in the middle of the front row at Trump’s rally, said on the TODAY show Sunday that she heard “pop, pop, pop” sounds and watched as Secret Service men quickly pushed the former president down on stage for a couple of minutes.
“They started saying ‘Clear right, clear left. OK on three stand him up.’ So one, two, three – they stood him up. He was facing me and his eyes were bright. I knew that he was OK. But there was a little bit of blood coming,” Autenreith said.
She said the interesting part was that “nobody in that first row even took cover. It seemed everybody was just – wanted to protect the president and I think we all knew that that’s what the shooter was after.”
−Sudiksha Kochi
Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson says nephew injured at Trump rally
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, said Saturday on X, formerly Twitter, that his nephew was among those injured at Trump’s rally in Butler.
“My family was sitting in the front, near where the President was speaking. They heard shots ringing out — my nephew then realized he had blood on his neck and something had grazed and cut his neck,” he wrote.
On Fox News Saturday, Jackson told host Sean Hannity that a bullet had grazed his nephew’s neck. He noted on X that his nephew is doing well and that his injury was not serious.
“He was treated by the providers in the medical tent. Thank you to all those that have reached out to check on him,” Jackson wrote.
− Sudiksha Kochi
Trump urges supporters to ‘stay united’
Trump told supporters Sunday that he would still attend this week’s Republican convention in Milwaukee. The shooting will almost certainly lead to a drastic ramp up in security for the more than 50,000 politicians, delegates and media personnel expected to flow into Milwaukee for the convention over the next 36 hours.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Trump said in an early morning post on Truth Social.
Trump added that “we will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.” Urging people to stay united and to “show our True Character as Americans,” Trump said: “I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”
−David Jackson, Sarah D. Wire, Sam Woodward, and Alison Dirr
No word on shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks’ motive
Little is known about Crooks beyond the fact that he lived in a home with his parents in Bethel Park.
Crooks was 20 years old, registered as a Republican and had an active voting status, meaning he had voted in recent elections. He appears to have attended Bethel Park High School, graduating in 2022.
Crooks carried no identification and his body had to be identified using other techniques, said Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge, said at the late-night press conference in Butler, Pa. The methods included DNA and biometric confirmation, Rojek said.
Crooks was killed by law enforcement officials moments after opening fire.
More:Thomas Matthew Crooks identified as Trump shooter at Pennsylvania political rally
‘It feels like something out of a movie’
The streets surrounding Crooks’ home were swarming with reporters and curious locals who ventured out to get a look at the scene and sizable police presence early Sunday morning. The home sits along a winding suburban road in Bethel Park, about 42 miles south of Butler.
Cathy Caplan, 45, extended her morning walk about a quarter mile to glimpse what was happening outside Crooks’ home.“It came on the morning news and I was like ‘I know that street,’” she said.The local school district employee said she was “still in disbelief” about the shooting and that “it feels like something out of a movie.”
Wes Morgan and his four children were at Panera Bread on Sunday morning when he found out he lived within a mile of Crooks. After breakfast, Morgan and the kids, ages 6-9, parked among dozens of reporters and other residents and walked up to the police perimeter, around the corner from Crooks’ home.It was rare in this sleepy suburb of Bethel Park to have any sustained and visible police presence, he said. The 42-year-old said he hopes the investigation progresses smoothly so the neighborhood can return to normal“We’ve never had anything even close to this before,” Morgan said. “We ride bikes down this road all the time, and to see this today … it’s just a shame.”
− Christopher Cann
‘It’s insanity that anyone would do this’
Around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, dozens of law enforcement vehicles were stationed outside Crooks’ residence listed on his voter registration record. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene and a bomb squad was at the residence.
Neighbors standing outside the home where the gunman lived said they were in disbelief. Dan Maloney, 30, said he saw the shooter’s name on social media and then discovered he lived down the road.
“It’s insanity that anyone would do this,” Maloney said, adding that he at one point had planned on attending the rally.
Crooks is registered to vote as a Republican in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, according to county voter records. His voter registration status has been active since 2021.
Scott Graham, who lives in the Bethel Park neighborhood, was riding his bike Sunday morning. He said he doesn’t know the shooter but was shaken by the incident. “It hits so close to home. I had two kids who graduated from Bethel Park High School. My kids graduated in 2016 and 2018.”
− Christopher Cann, Aysha Bagchi, Andrew Dolph
More:Video captures chaotic moment when Trump reportedly shot on stage at rally
More:Uncertainty about RNC security after shooting at Trump rally in Pennsylvania
Trump flies to New Jersey after rally shooting
After his release from the hospital, Trump traveled back to New Jersey, where he has a home.
Television cameras filmed the Trump plane landing in Newark late Saturday.
The former president was still scheduled to fly on Sunday to Milwaukee, site of next week’s Republican nominating convention. But it wasn’t clear if Trump would stick to his schedule in light of the shooting.
– David Jackson
Attack harkens back to dark years of violence
The most recent attempt on a presidential candidate was on March 30, 1981, when Republican President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. after a speaking engagement just two months after taking office. The then 70-year-old was seriously injured and underwent emergency surgery before being released after almost two weeks in the hospital. Reagan suffered a punctured lung, a broken rib, and internal bleeding.
On June 5, 1968, the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y., was shot and killed by a Palestinian activist for his support of Israel during the Israeli-Arab conflict. Kennedy was campaigning in California for the presidency and lived just one day after being hit twice, once in the neck and the armpit. He was 42.
President John F. Kennedy was riding in a motorcade with First Lady Jackie Kennedy in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963 when he was shot in the neck and head by Lee Harvey Oswald. The 46-year-old had yet to announce his re-election campaign and was riding with then-Texas Democratic Gov. John Connally, who also was shot.
Kennedy was pronounced dead and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th president.
−Elizabeth Weise
