Today, former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear in an assassination attempt by a lone gunman at his MAGA rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. One rally attendee was declared dead at the scene.
Trump was speaking to the crowd when he grabbed his ear and blood was seen on his face. He dropped to his knees. The Secret Service stormed the stage and covered him with their bodies.
While leaving the stage and walking downstairs, Trump broke through his protective guard to face the crowd with some amazing marching orders. He pumped his fist in the air and yelled, “Fight, fight, fight!”
You can watch the moment he was shot in this video:
Then he was taken to an armored limo or ambulance and was taken to a local hospital.
In a statement from the hospital, “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
The Secret Service said, “The former President is safe.”
Citizen Free Press had a series of posts on X.com (Twitter) which sheds some light on what happened.
1) Shooter fires at Trump, then a pause.
2) Secret Service fires at shooter, taking him down, then a pause.
3) Then a single shot, and a girl starts screaming loudly.
4) Shooter likely moved and they finished him off.
A BBC reporter interviewed an eyewitness who saw a man with a rifle crawling on the roof of a nearby metal building.
Eyewitness speaks out after Trump shooting
“Shooter was bear crawling across a roof, just outside the venue, with a rifle in his hands. Eyewitness and his friends were screaming at the police and Secret Service for 2 to 3 minutes.
“No one did anything.”
There is a lot of reporting being done now on the ground in Pennsylvania.
Here is a video clip of dead shooter on roof and Secret Service officer who shot him.
Joe Biden has released a statement on the assassination attempt on Trump, “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.”
I agree with President Biden that we should be praying for Trump, anyone injured today, and the family of the deceased attendee. The shooter met his maker already so no good praying for the dead.
Yet it was just days ago when President Biden called for Trump “to be put in the Bullseye.”
FLASHBACK: Biden Said Days Ago, ‘It’s Time to Put Trump in the Bullseye’
On Monday, during an appearance on “Morning Joe,” President Biden used violent rhetoric about Donald Trump.
“It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye,” Biden said.
Earlier this evening, Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Dan Bongino served in the Secret Service for 12 years and protected former President Barrack Obama. Bongino said today, “I want to repeat, and can absolutely confirm, the USSS Director Kim Cheatle has repeatedly turned down requests for a larger security footprint around President Trump. Despite knowing the threat level is catastrophic. Resign tonight.”
Rich Lowry on Twitter put it this way:
“Trump’s sense of the moment, his instinct to reassure his supporters and show strength just seconds after getting wounded in an assassination attempt, was simply epic and will live through American political history.”
Lots to think about. Thankfully Trump survived this near miss.
Here’s a new statement from the Trump campaign and RNC: “President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States.”
On X (Twitter), Fox News anchor Jacqui Heinrich reported, “Former senior federal law enforcement source tells Fox: ‘Secret service failed. Shooter was high ground, took way too long to get him out and he was exposed if there was a second shooter. That was an inch away from his assassination.’
We all have a lot to be thankful for.
On an important side note, it’s long past due for President Biden to give Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Secret Service protection.
I’ll finish today with Psalm 144, written by warrior poet King David. David was delivered from death from his foes. Today, Donald Trump was delivered from his foes. Let us give thanks.
Psalms 144
1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
3 LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.
5 Part your heavens, LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners
8 whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.
9 I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David. From the deadly sword
11 deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.
12 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.
15 Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the LORD.
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I caught this news today just after it happened because I’m completing a major makeover of the Oregon Eagle website. It’s a work in process so expect tweaks in the days ahead.