The FBI has identified a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man as the suspected shooter, but they have not released his name yet. The FBI is currently investigating the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday.
The local prosecutor, Richard Goldinger, said that the assailant was positioned outside the event grounds on the rooftop of a manufacturing facility, more than 130 yards away from the stage where Trump was speaking.The open-air setting at the Butler Farm Show grounds provided the gunman a clear line of sight of his target.
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According to Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh field office, the shooter’s identity and motive remain unknown at this time. Rojek said that the crime scene is still active, but there is no ongoing threat following the shooting.
“I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds. And I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out how he got there,” said Goldinger. He confirmed that one rally attendee had died in the incident, while another was in serious condition at the hospital.
The US Secret Service said that “multiple shots (were fired) toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally venue,” resulting in the death of one spectator and critical injuries to two others. The shooter was also killed, although further details were not provided.
Trump, 78, was shot in the ear during his speech, causing his blood to streak across his face. His security agents quickly surrounded him before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!” He later shared on his Truth Social platform, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. Much bleeding took place.”
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump is set to face Democratic President Joe Biden in a rematch. Most opinion polls show the two candidates in a close contest.
The local prosecutor, Richard Goldinger, said that the assailant was positioned outside the event grounds on the rooftop of a manufacturing facility, more than 130 yards away from the stage where Trump was speaking.The open-air setting at the Butler Farm Show grounds provided the gunman a clear line of sight of his target.
Follow live updates
According to Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh field office, the shooter’s identity and motive remain unknown at this time. Rojek said that the crime scene is still active, but there is no ongoing threat following the shooting.
“I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds. And I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out how he got there,” said Goldinger. He confirmed that one rally attendee had died in the incident, while another was in serious condition at the hospital.
The US Secret Service said that “multiple shots (were fired) toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally venue,” resulting in the death of one spectator and critical injuries to two others. The shooter was also killed, although further details were not provided.
Trump, 78, was shot in the ear during his speech, causing his blood to streak across his face. His security agents quickly surrounded him before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!” He later shared on his Truth Social platform, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. Much bleeding took place.”
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump is set to face Democratic President Joe Biden in a rematch. Most opinion polls show the two candidates in a close contest.