Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden urged “fellow Americans” to cooperate in order to “lower the temperature in our politics” following an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was shot in the ear and treated at a nearby medical institution before being released. During the incident, several rallygoers were injured, with one fatality reported: Corey Comperatore, 50, from Sarver, Pennsylvania, who was shot while trying to shield his family from gunshots. Two other people, James Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 57, were also hurt and are currently in stable condition.
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man, was shot and killed by Secret Service agents. He was outside the metal detector-equipped security barrier, on the roof of a building close to the demonstration. An investigation into the attempted assassination is ongoing. The FBI has officially determined that the attack began as an “assassination attempt,” but the motive remains unclear. Pennsylvania State Police have identified one shooter so far.
During his live broadcast, President Biden urged all Americans to take a step back and lower the temperature in politics. He expressed gratitude that Trump was not seriously injured and mentioned that he had spoken to him last night and found him “doing well.” The president offered condolences and prayers for the victims and emphasized the ongoing investigation into the shooter’s motives, opinions, and affiliations.
Biden also lamented how a former president was shot and an American citizen killed while exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing. He reiterated that there is no place in America for violence of any kind and that the nation must not allow such violence to be normalized.
Trump’s senior advisers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, confirmed that he will attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which begins on Monday.
