Shooting at Trump Rally: Biden makes statement after meeting with authorities; Identity of the dead participant is revealed; See the latest updates
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, will deliver a new address to the nation from the Oval Office this Sunday night, as confirmed by the White House.
Biden called Trump after the attack - Photo Reproduction/Reuters
Late Saturday afternoon, a shocking incident interrupted a political rally led by Donald Trump, sparking concern and attracting the attention of officials and citizens across the country. The shooting occurred in the city of Butler, Pennsylvania, around 6 p.m. Washington time (5 p.m. Brasília time), a few minutes after Trump's speech began. Secret Service agents acted quickly to protect the former US president, the Republican candidate for president.
During the incident, Trump was hit in the face, specifically in the right ear, and fell to the ground, but later managed to get up and raised his fist as he was escorted to a vehicle. The former president was taken to the hospital as a precaution, and about two hours after the incident, members of his campaign reported that he was fine. At the same time, the police had confirmed that the suspect responsible for the shooting was dead. Unfortunately, the incident resulted in the death of one of the participants, whose identity was recently released.
Latest Updates
1. Biden Responds After Meeting with Authorities
After a meeting with security authorities, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, made a brief statement at the White House this Sunday (14) about the attack on former president and candidate Donald Trump. According to President Biden, Trump has received a "higher level of security" and will have all the necessary resources for his protection. Biden also announced increased security measures in Wisconsin, where the Republican Convention will begin on Monday, and ordered the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures in the area.
The American president ended his statement by stating that he requested an independent review to investigate the incident at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, where a gunman injured the former president, resulting in the death of one person and the injury of two others. Earlier, Biden had spoken by phone with Trump. "We had a quick but good conversation with him [Trump]. We are praying for him and his family," Biden said this Sunday.
The information was officially confirmed by the White House. In a statement, the United States government said Biden also had conversations with the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, and the mayor of Butler, where Trump held a rally, Bob Dandoy. The White House did not provide further information about the content of the calls.. Biden was at a church in the state of Delaware when Trump was targeted in the attack.
2. Identity of Dead Participant Revealed
Corey Comperatore was a former fire chief and was killed when he threw himself on his family to protect them from gunfire - Photo Reproduction/Facebook by Corey
Authorities have identified 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, as the man killed during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, yesterday. According to local media reports, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro informed reporters that Corey was killed when he threw himself on his family to protect them from the shots fired. Shapiro noted that Corey was an enthusiastic supporter of the former president and was excited to be present at the event. The governor also emphasized that political conflicts should never be resolved through violence. Additionally, two other rally participants were seriously injured, according to the Secret Service.
3. Details and Identity of the Shooter Have Been Revealed
Thomas Crooks, who shot Trump, in his high school yearbook - Photo Reproduction/CBS
The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the shooter during a Trump rally. Crooks, aged 20, worked in the kitchen of a nursing home in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, located 70 km from Butler, where the incident occurred. He graduated from Bethel Park High in 2022. Crooks was a registered Republican according to state voter records, the same party as the former president running for U.S. president. Authorities have not publicly released a possible motive.
According to the Associated Press, the gun used in the attack is believed to have been purchased by Crooks' father. Eyewitnesses described a man with a rifle positioned on a rooftop less than 200 yards from former President Trump. Videos from after the shooting appear to show the shooter's body south of a beige-walled warehouse. CBS, in collaboration with the BBC in the US, reported that "suspicious devices" were found in Crooks' vehicle near the rally site in Butler.
Explosives experts were called in to investigate. The Pentagon confirmed that Crooks had no military history. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder said it was confirmed with all military branches that there was no record of Thomas Crooks as an active member or reservist. Crooks was shot to death by Secret Service agents, and the FBI remains in an ongoing investigation.
The FBI, the United States federal police, declared this Sunday that the shooter who tried to assassinate Donald Trump apparently "acted alone". The statement was made by FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek during a telephone press conference in conjunction with the US Department of Justice. Rojek also reported that no ideology associated with the case was identified.
4. How far was the alleged shooter from Donald Trump?
The FBI reported that it was unable to immediately determine how many shots were fired - Photo Reproduction/Reuters
The attacker opened fire with "an AR-15 style rifle", as reported by CBS News. Security services confirmed that an AR-15 was recovered at the scene. However, the FBI reported that it was not immediately possible to determine the type of weapon used by the shooter or the number of shots fired. A New York Times photograph shows what appears to be a bullet passing near Trump's head.
The AR-15 has been used in several mass shootings. It typically fires a 5.56mm North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standard cartridge, although it can be adapted to other calibers. This rifle is perfectly capable of inflicting kills at great distances, as evidenced by at least one death in the crowd. According to security analyst Justin Crump, for assault rifles to cause maximum damage, the energy of the shot must be completely dissipated, which requires a sudden stop.
The transfer of energy, not just the physical impact of the bullet, is what makes these rifles so lethal. The fact that the bullet passed through Trump's ear indicates that the bullet's devastating potential energy was not transferred. However, this can still have consequences, as Crump explains. "The shock wave that passes through the eardrum will not be calm and can leave scars," he says. If the bullet had been just an inch further to the right, or if the former president's head had been at a slightly different angle, all that kinetic energy would have been transferred to him, resulting in devastating consequences.
