Donald Trump safe, 2 dead after shooting at campaign rally in Pennsylvania

The former U.S. president said a bullet pierced the upper part of his ear.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is safe after a shooting at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday left two people dead, including the suspected shooter.

A "suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue" where the presumptive Republican nominee was speaking in Butler, Pa., on Saturday evening, according to the Secret Service. The agency reported that Trump is "safe and being evaluated," while one spectator was killed, and two more were critically injured.

The suspected shooter was killed by Secret Service personnel after the incident, which the Associated Press reports is being investigated as an attempted assassination.

Trump later said that he was "shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear" and that "much bleeding took place."

At around 6:11 p.m. ET, the ex-host of The Apprentice and former U.S. president was speaking when what sounded like gunfire erupted near him. Amid the chaos, Trump reached up to grab his ear before falling to the ground, with multiple Secret Service agents rushing to surround him on stage.

Trump ducked as screams tore through the crowd. When he stood up, the side of his face was bloodied. Trump held his fist in the air defiantly as he was rushed off stage.

"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," Trump wrote on his Truth Social hours later.

"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 wrote. "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. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country."

Steven Cheung, Trump's spokesperson, told CNN that the former president "is fine" following the incident.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act," Cheung told the outlet. "He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow."

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Trump's team for further information.

Trump's associates as well as conservative media personalities quickly voiced messages of support, and others harshly criticized the act of violence.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, a current cohost of The View who previously worked for Trump's communications team before resigning and subsequently speaking out against him, condemned the assault.

"I feel sick that someone would do this. Political violence is NEVER the answer," Griffin wrote on X, thanking the Secret Service and law enforcement "for intervening" in the situation. "Pray for our country."

Meghan McCain, who regularly slammed Trump from her post at The View until she left the show in 2021, also spoke out after the incident Saturday on X. "Please join me and my family in immediately praying for our great nation and the entire Trump family," she wrote, urging people to "pray for our broken country."

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida additionally called for prayer, adding, "Praying for President Trump and all those attending the rally in Pennsylvania today."

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Roughly 30 minutes after the shooting, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced to Pennsylvania residents that he had been briefed on the situation.

"Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States," Shapiro posted on social media.

The shooting took place four months before Trump is set to face off against Joe Biden in the November presidential election, which is already fraught with tension on both sides of the political aisle, over both Trump's controversial ideologies and Biden's fitness to remain in office. Many top Democrats, celebrities, and influential figures have called for Biden to bow out of the race following his performance at the June 27 debate.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.