Former United States President Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024, streaking the Republican presidential candidate’s blood across his face and prompting his security agents to swarm him.

Trump emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The 78-year-old former president was rushed off stage with blood streaked across his face after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, while the gunman and a bystander were killed and two spectators critically injured.

The shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured, the Secret Service said in a statement. The incident was being investigated as an assassination attempt.

Law enforcement officials told reporters they had tentatively identified a suspected shooter but were not ready to do so publicly. They also said they not yet identified a motive.

Trump had just started his speech when the shots rang out. He grabbed his right ear with his right hand, then brought his hand down to look at it before dropping to his knees behind the podium before Secret Service agents swarmed and covered him.

He emerged about a minute later, his red “Make America Great Again” hat knocked off, and could be heard saying “wait, wait,” before the fist bump, then agents rushed him to a black SUV.

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

“Much bleeding took place,” he added.

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The shooting occurred less than four months before the November  5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos show the two locked in a close contest.

Leading Republicans and Democrats quickly condemned the violence.

The Trump campaign said he was “doing well”.

Biden said in a statement on X: “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.

“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.

“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Republican U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas said his nephew had been wounded at the rally.

The shooting raised immediate questions about security failures by the Secret Service, which provides former presidents including Trump with lifetime protection.

It was the first shooting of a U.S. president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempted assassination of Republican President Ronald Reagan.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said Trump has left the Butler area under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service with the assistance of the Pennsylvania state police.

Republican U.S. Representative Daniel Meuser said Trump was headed to Bedminster, New Jersey, where he has a golf club.

The Star