People watch unfolding news at a plaza in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after shots were fired at a Republican campaign rally as former US president Donald Trump spoke to the crowd, on 13 July, 2024. Photo: AFP/ Chip Somodevilla
Former US President Donald Trump's face was splattered with blood on Sunday (NZ time) at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after gunfire erupted and hit him in the ear.
The Republican candidate for this year's presidential election was quickly surrounded by Secret Service staff. Trump held a fist aloft as he was escorted to a waiting vehicle and taken to a local medical facility.
Here is what we know about the incident so far, as of 4.30pm (NZ time). For the latest updates, follow our live blog here.
What happened to Trump?
- Trump was on stage speaking to a crowd of supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania when loud shots began ringing out.
- Video showed the 78-year-old grabbing his ear then dropping to the floor behind his lectern as Secret Service agents swarmed in, one of them shouting "get down, get down". Several more shots were heard.
- Trump - with blood on his cheek and ear - was then bundled into a vehicle, holding his fist aloft for the cheering crowd.
- The former president said in a post on social media a bullet "pierced the upper part of my right ear", and he knew immediately "something was wrong".
- A spokesperson for his campaign said in a statement earlier he was "fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility". He has since left.
Who was the shooter?
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the "subject involved".
- The shooter was killed, as was an audience member, US media said, citing local officials. Two others were in hospital, both critical. All victims were male, FBI agents said.
What was the shooter's motive?
- Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of FBI Pittsburgh field office, said in a briefing the FBI did not have a motive for the incident that left one person dead and two injured.
- Republican lawmakers said they would launch swift investigations into how a sniper apparently managed to evade Secret Service agents and climb onto the roof of a building near where Donald Trump was speaking.
- Law enforcement officials, including the Secret Service and FBI, are treating it as an attempted assassination.
How did the shooting happen?
- Eyewitnesses have told BBC News they saw a man with a rifle on top of a one-storey building near the event, before the shooting began. Video uploaded to social media showing a man lying on a roof, apparently dead, appeared to back up these accounts, as did anonymous law enforcement officials speaking to CNN.
- CBS, citing law enforcement sources, reported the gunman fired from about 200 yards (182m) away.
What happens now?
- Trump says he still plans to attend the Republic convention in Milwaukee next week, where he will be formally nominated as the party's candidate.
- Trump's political rival, President Joe Biden, condemned the attack and said he was grateful Donald Trump was doing well. "There's no place in America for this kind of violence." He said he had an opinion on whether it was an assassination attempt or not, but would not speculate without knowing the facts.
- The Biden campaign is suspending advertising and outbound communications.
Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on 13 July, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photo: AFP/ Getty - Anna Moneymaker
How has the world reacted?
- Vice President Kamala Harris called it a "senseless shooting".
- Billionaire Elon Musk for the first time formally endorsed Trump, saying the "last time America had a candidate this tough was Theodore Roosevelt".
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement he was "shocked". "My thoughts are with the former president, his family, and the victims of this attack. No country should encounter such political violence."
- ACT leader and Acting Prime Minister this week, David Seymour, posted a statement to social media saying New Zealand "condemns political violence in all its forms, wherever it occurs. Nobody should ever be intimidated out of participating in any democracy by violence. We will never let such people win."
- Former prime minister and Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said "violent attacks on any political candidate should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. My thoughts are with the American people, former President Trump, and all those at the rally today."
- Other world leaders have expressed similar thoughts. New UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time."
- Former US President Barack Obama said he was "relieved" Trump was okay. "Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery."
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "concerning and confronting".
