Some marveled at Trump’s good fortune, comparing it with the death of US President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
“A slight turn of his head while speaking saved him – otherwise it could have been fatal,” one commenter said.
In response to this incident, some Internet users pointed out the easy access to firearms in the United States and the high rate of gun crime.
“America is in chaos, shootings happen every day. Assassinations are the result of the proliferation of guns.”
Others suggested the shooting was staged and that “he was still cheering with his head out and his arms raised even after the bullet had pierced his ear.”
“Trump will capitalize on this shooting to boost his approval ratings even more,” another person said.
The US Secret Service said in a statement that the suspect “fired multiple shots towards the stage from an elevated position outside the rally” but was later “neutralized” by agents, AFP reported.
The network said Trump was “safe and undergoing testing,” but confirmed one spectator had died and two others were seriously injured.
The identity of the assailant has not been confirmed.
The New York Post tabloid initially reported that the shooter “has been identified as a Chinese man,” but later said he “has been identified only as a white man.”
China’s Foreign Ministry has not commented on the incident.
The shooting has been covered in detail by various mainstream Chinese media outlets, including state-run CCTV News.
Photos and footage of the incident have been widely shared online.
In an interview with state news agency China News, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University, said there appeared to have been lapses in security by the U.S. Secret Service.
“There was no bulletproof glass installed to protect us while we were speaking,” Li was quoted as saying.
