Trump Survives Assassination Attempt at Pennsylvania Rally

The Shooting

On the evening of July 13, 2024, Donald Trump was addressing a crowd at an outdoor campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when shots rang out. A bullet struck Trump’s right ear, sending him to the ground as Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. In a moment that became one of the most iconic images of the 2024 campaign, Trump stood back up with blood streaming down his face, raised his fist to the crowd, and mouthed the word “fight” before being escorted offstage.

Casualties and the Gunman

The shooting killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief who was shielding his family from the gunfire. Two other attendees were critically injured. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, had positioned himself on the roof of a building just outside the rally security perimeter, approximately 130 yards from the stage. He was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper shortly after opening fire.

Security Failures

The assassination attempt prompted immediate scrutiny of the Secret Service’s security planning. Investigations revealed that attendees and local law enforcement had spotted the gunman on the rooftop minutes before the shooting and attempted to alert authorities. The building Crooks used had been identified as a potential security concern but was outside the Secret Service’s secured perimeter. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on July 23 following bipartisan criticism of the agency’s failures.

Political Aftermath

The shooting sent shockwaves through the presidential race. President Biden and leaders of both parties condemned political violence and called for unity. Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention days later with a bandage on his ear, receiving an emotional reception from delegates. The assassination attempt became a defining moment of the 2024 campaign, and the image of Trump raising his fist with blood on his face was widely circulated as a symbol of defiance among his supporters.