At a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump was shockingly close to a suspected gunman, only about 400 to 500 feet (120 to 150 meters) away, according to CNN’s analysis. The incident happened on a Saturday afternoon at the Butler Farm Show Grounds.
The shooter fired several shots from a rooftop just outside the rally, the Secret Service reported. The FBI has called it an assassination attempt. Unfortunately, Trump was injured, and both the gunman and at least one rally attendee were killed.
The Secret Service quickly took down the shooter. Kevin Rojek, the FBI special agent in charge of Pittsburgh, was surprised at how the gunman managed to fire multiple shots during Trump’s rally. He mentioned that a thorough investigation would follow to figure out how the security measures failed, how the gunman got to the location, and what kind of weapon was used.
Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police pointed out how tough it is to secure a public venue against a determined attacker. He said the investigation would help spot any failures and suggest improvements for the future.
Footage from the rally showed Secret Service agents swiftly protecting Trump and getting him to his motorcade once the shooter was taken down. Photos from CNN Security showed Secret Service snipers on rooftops during the rally.
Nico Mitchell, an attendee who caught the event on video, described the chaos when the shots rang out. The crowd was screaming and trying to find cover. Talking to CNN, Mitchell said he was still shaken up and added, “I can’t even begin to describe what happened.”
