The Shooting Incident
Former US President and Republican nominee for the 2024 election, Donald Trump, narrowly survived an assassination attempt while addressing a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13th, 2024.
Eyewitness reports mentioned the shooting erupted as Trump was in the middle of delivering his speech to supporters gathered for the campaign rally. Attendees frantically scrambled for cover as the sound of gunfire rang out. In the ensuing chaos, some in the crowd were trampled as people rushed to escape the danger.
This occurred just days before he was set to accept the Republican nomination for a third time. Trump said a bullet hit him in the ear, and Secret Service agents immediately surrounded him and hurried him to his SUV. While initial reports indicated a bullet had shot Trump, FBI Director Christopher Wray later suggested that shrapnel might have struck him instead of the bullet.
The Alleged Shooter and Ongoing Investigations
20-year-old Bethel Park resident Thomas Matthew Crooks is the alleged shooter. Having positioned himself on the roof, Crooks opened fire on the stage with an AR-15-style rifle, striking former President Trump in the upper right ear. Secret Service agents then fatally shot Crooks after his attack outside the rally venue.
Despite ongoing investigations, FBI Director Christopher Wray only had this to say regarding the shooter and his motives.
A lot of the usual repositories of information have not yielded anything notable in terms of motive or ideology.
Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The investigation into Crooks’ background and potential connections remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the shooter’s motive and any potential accomplices. It remains unclear whether Crooks had a history of mental illness or any known connections to extremist groups.
Thomas Matthew Crooks
While much remains unknown about the shooter, Wray told Congress that on July 6th, the same day Crooks registered for the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, he searched Google for “How far away was Oswald from Kennedy,” referencing the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy.
This search suggests Crooks had become “very focused” on former President Trump and his upcoming rally around July 6th, according to Wray. However, authorities have not yet determined a clear motive for why Crooks wanted to kill Trump.
He was interested in public figures and, I think this is important, starting around July 6 or so, he became very focused on former president Trump and this rally.
Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Investigators have uncovered some clues from his online activity. Crooks had photos on his phone of former President Trump, President Biden, Attorney General Garland, and FBI Director Wray. He also searched for information on the dates of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and Trump’s upcoming appearances.
Calls for US Secret Service Director to Step Down
Director of the US Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned on Tuesday following the attack, which was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since the 1981 shooting of Ronald Reagan.
The incident has the potential to affect the upcoming elections, to which Cheatle acknowledged and mentioned that she would take “full responsibility for any security lapse.” However, this did little to quell calls for her resignation from both parties. Democrats and Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said Cheatle had lost the confidence of Congress.
Jamie Raskin, a Democrat and ranking member of Maryland, was one such member of the House Oversight Committee who joined Republicans in calling for Cheatle to step down.
This relationship is irretrievable at this point and I think that the director has lost the confidence of Congress at a very urgent and tender moment in the history of the country, and we need to quickly move beyond this.
Jamie Raskin/Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee
Criticism Over Protective Measures
Cheatle continued to express her belief that she is the “best person to lead the Secret Service at this time” but faced heated questions from lawmakers about the agency’s failure to protect Trump and the lacking number of agents assigned to the rally. The agency is also responsible for safeguarding visiting world leaders, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who arrived in Washington in July.
The suspected shooter, Crooks, had previously been flagged as suspicious by law enforcement. Despite further questioning regarding the specifics of the gunman’s actions leading up to the assassination attempt, Cheatle repeatedly cited the FBI’s ongoing criminal investigation and declined to answer.
According to Cheatle, Trump’s security detail had been ramping up well before the campaign season as threats against him persisted and grew. She noted that the Secret Service must be provided sufficient resources to handle its current protection duties and prepare for emerging requirements in the future.
Trump’s Political Career and the 2024 Election
Trump’s political career has had both historic highs and controversial lows. His victory in the 2016 election sent shockwaves through the American political landscape as he defeated his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
Though he remained unharmed in the attack, the shooting incident has only seemed to embolden Trump’s resolve to return to the Oval Office. Despite only having served one term from 2017 to 2021, he has remained a dominant figure in the GOP, with a loyal base of supporters who have rallied behind his “America First” agenda.
As the investigation into the shooting continues and the election approaches, the nation will be closely watching to see how the political landscape evolves in the aftermath of this attack.
Trump looks to make a full recovery and continue his electoral campaign. As his security detail huddled around him, Trump appeared defiant, pumping his fist in the air as security escorted him out of the venue.
