At a Trump rally in Pennsylvania shots were fired. An audience member died and Donald Trump was hit in the ear.
On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, just days before the Republican National Convention. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks (20), fired from a rooftop approximately 130-150 meters away, injuring Trump with a bullet wound to his ear and causing one fatality (Corey Comperatore, 50) and two critical injuries. Secret Service agents immediately shielded Trump and neutralized the shooter. The incident raised significant security concerns, as witnesses reported spotting the suspicious individual before shots were fired, prompting a federal investigation. Despite the attack, Trump proceeded to attend the Republican National Convention as planned, while President Biden condemned the violence and spoke with Trump by phone. This event marked the most serious assassination attempt on a presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 and represented a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential election between Trump and Biden, raising fundamental questions about campaign security protocols and political discourse in American democracy.
On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. This comprehensive analysis examines how major news outlets (BBC, AP News, CNN, and NY Post) covered this significant event in the 2024 presidential election cycle, occurring just days before the Republican National Convention. The attempt has substantial implications for campaign security protocols, political discourse, and the dynamics of the race between Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden.
- Date and Time: Saturday, July 13, 2024, at approximately 6:11 PM EDT
- Location: Butler Farm Show grounds, Butler, Pennsylvania
- Shooter: Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
- Weapon Used: AR-style rifle
- Casualties: 1 attendee killed (Corey Comperatore, 50), 2 critically injured (David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74)
- Trump's Injury: Bullet wound to the upper right ear
- Secret Service Response: Crooks killed by Secret Service personnel
Trump had just begun his speech at the Butler fairground when shots rang out. According to the BBC report, the shooting occurred at 18:11 local time (6:11 PM), just minutes into Trump's address as he was speaking about President Biden's administration. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a suspicious individual on a nearby roof before the shooting.
When the shots were fired, Trump immediately grabbed his ear and ducked behind the podium. Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. Despite bleeding from his ear, Trump raised his fist to the crowd and shouted "Fight, fight!" before being evacuated from the stage to a waiting vehicle.
All publications highlighted significant security concerns:
1.*Shooter Position: Crooks positioned himself on a building roof outside the designated security perimeter, approximately 130-150 meters (AP News) or 400 feet (NY Post) from Trump's position.
2. Witness Reports: The BBC quoted a witness named "Greg" who told reporters he had spotted a suspicious-looking person "bear crawling" on the roof of a building about five minutes after Trump took the stage. He said he pointed the person out to police: "We're pointing at him, the police are down there running around on the ground – we're like 'hey man there's a guy on the roof with a rifle'."
3. Official Response: FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said it was "surprising" that the shooter was able to open fire before being neutralized by the Secret Service.
4. Investigation: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer summoned Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify on July 22, 2024. An investigation involving the FBI, Secret Service, and Department of Homeland Security was immediately launched.
1. All outlets accurately reported the shooter's identity, Trump's ear wound, and the casualties
2. All sources reported on President Biden's condemnation of the violence
3. All publications noted significant security failures
4. All confirmed Trump would attend the Republican National Convention as planned
AP News and BBC reported that Crooks was a registered Republican who had donated $15 to a liberal campaign group in 2021. The AP also mentioned that explosives were found in Crooks' vehicle, a detail not included in all reports.
The BBC provided the most comprehensive witness testimonies, including accounts from "Greg," "Tim," "Warren," and "Debbie." The NY Post included a more graphic description from an unnamed ER doctor who reported treating a victim with "brain matter" visible.
CNN's coverage placed the event within America's history of political violence, drawing parallels to past assassinations and attacks. The NY Post uniquely mentioned a controversial comment allegedly made by President Biden five days before the attack, claiming he had been recorded saying "it's time to put Trump in a bullseye" in a campaign meeting.
Only the NY Post included statements from Trump's children: Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Trump Jr.
Corey Comperatore (50) - Former fire chief from Butler County. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described him as having "dove on his family to protect them" and stated that "Corey died a hero."
1. David Dutch (57) of New Kensington, Pennsylvania - Listed in stable condition
2. James Copenhaver (74) of Moon Township, Pennsylvania - Listed in stable condition
These names were specifically mentioned in the AP News report.
The assassination attempt occurred at a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential election cycle:
1. Pre-Convention Timing: Just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee (scheduled to begin July 15, 2024)
2. Republican Response: Some Republicans, including Senator JD Vance and Congressman Mike Collins, directly blamed President Biden's rhetoric for the shooting, according to the BBC report.
3. Campaign Continuation: Trump's campaign confirmed he would still attend the Republican National Convention as planned to accept the nomination.
4. Security Questions: Trump campaign advisor Stephen Moore told the BBC: "Certainly Trump needs more protection - there's a lot of inquiry now about whether the Secret Service was totally prepared."
The CNN report particularly emphasized that this was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. The AP News report likewise noted that four U.S. presidents have been assassinated throughout American history: Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, and John Kennedy.
Recent instances of political violence were also referenced, particularly in the CNN report, which mentioned:
- The 2011 shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
- The 2017 attack on a Republican congressional baseball practice
- The January 6, 2021 Capitol riot
President Biden addressed the nation, calling the attack "sick" and stating: "There's no place in America for this kind of violence." According to multiple reports, Biden later spoke with Trump by phone.
The White House confirmed that Biden cut short his weekend stay at his beach home in Delaware to return to Washington DC following the shooting.
International reactions included a statement from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said he was "appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump's rally" and that "political violence in any form has no place in our societies."
The July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Donald Trump represents a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential election. While all media sources provided factual coverage of the core events, their different approaches to contextualizing the incident reflect the complex political landscape surrounding the attack.
As investigations continue and both campaigns address security concerns, this event will likely remain a defining moment in the narrative of the 2024 presidential election, raising fundamental questions about political discourse, campaign security, and the state of American democracy during this contentious election cycle.
Articles Analyzed: BBC, AP News, CNN, and NY Post
*There may be errors on this page.
Trump Assassination Attempt
Timelines Involved
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