US President Joe Biden condemned the violent attack on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday (local time), saying that “there is no place in America for this kind of violence.”
Speaking from Delaware, Biden described the attack as “sick” and emphasised the need for unity to prevent such incidents.
“It’s sick; it’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country,” he continued, adding, “We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this; we cannot condone this.”
Biden also noted that he attempted to contact Trump, saying that the former president is with his doctors and appears to be doing well.
“I’ve been thoroughly briefed by all the agencies in the federal government as to the situation based on what we know now. I have tried to get hold of Donald; he’s with his doctors and doing well. I plan on talking to them shortly; I hope when I get back to the telephone,” Biden said.
When asked whether it was an assassination attempt, the US President said, “I don’t know enough. I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts, so I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make any more comments.”
The shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler is being investigated as a possible assassination attempt, CNN reported, citing law enforcement officials.
Biden was attending Mass at St. Edmund’s Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when the shooting occurred.
The White House informed reporters in Delaware that Biden was briefed on the shooting by Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
One of the attendees succumbed after receiving a bullet injury during the shooting at former US President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, CNN reported, citing Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger.
The shooter was also killed by the Secret Service, CNN reported, citing a Secret Service source.
The district attorney also stated that Trump, who appeared to have sustained an injury to his ear in the shooting, will be fine and was promptly escorted by the US Secret Service.
Quoting the official, CNN reported that another spectator at the rally is in serious condition.
The gunfire incident, which comes months before the 2024 US presidential elections, disrupted Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, as reported by CBS News. Trump was immediately escorted off stage by US Secret Service agents and taken away in a motorcade.
In the videos that went viral on social media, Trump could be seen bleeding from his ear. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard.
US Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that protective measures have been implemented and the incident is now under active investigation.
Guglielmi confirmed that Trump is safe and more information will be released as it becomes available. “An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe,” Guglielmi wrote in a post on X.
“This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,” he added.