A spectator ducks into the crowd after an attempted shooter at a rally for Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Photo: AFP)
BUTLER, United States (AFP) — A series of explosions rang out, sending thousands of Donald Trump’s supporters into hiding, while Secret Service agents raced to protect the president, who had been waiting for hours in the sun.
The crowd gasped as the podium bearing the former president’s name tipped sideways and investigators helped the 78-year-old Republican congressman back to his feet after he had stormed onto the stage.
Applause and cheers rang out at the rural Pennsylvania fairground as a visibly stunned Trump pumped his fist, held a security guard’s arm and waved to the stunned crowd.
Police signaled to Trump’s waiting motorcade, while agents wearing bulletproof helmets and carrying rifles searched the crowd that had gathered at Trump’s feet.
The crowd chanted “USA, USA” as a staggering Trump was escorted off the stage and down a flight of stairs to a waiting armored SUV.
“They can’t beat you,” yelled one man in the crowd as Trump’s security guards formed a human chain to carry him to safety, keeping his fists raised as he slowly made his way to a car.
“I was sitting in the front row, center, right in front of Trump,” said Erin Autenreis.
“I was so excited. I just stared at him. And then I heard a pop. It sounded like the Fourth of July. Pop, pop, pop,” said the 66-year-old from Glenshaw, Pennsylvania.
“But then they all jumped on stage, surrounded him and took him down, and that’s when we realised it had really been a shot.
“Then more people showed up and the area was cleared,” added Autenreis, who was attending his sixth Trump rally and volunteered at the rally throughout the day.
“And they were talking to each other: ‘Clear left. Clear right.’ And they stood him up. And he said, ‘I’ve got to put my shoes on.'”
She said the words were captured on Trump’s microphone and recorded on video of the incident, and that they were the first words Trump spoke.
“He stood up straight and I could see he had a little bit of blood on his right cheek,” Autenreis said.
“He turned around, you could see it in his ears, and he raised his arm with his fist pumping,” she added.
“I was shot above the right ear,” Trump said in a later post on Truth Social.
– “Everyone, let’s go.” –
As the truth of what had happened dawned on the crowd, anger grew, with some Trump supporters yelling abuse at media members standing prominently in the middle of the venue.
“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” said one man, who declined to give his name.
Dozens of people made obscene gestures toward the corner of the venue where they believed the shots were heard. Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter was “outside the venue.”
“Everyone, let’s go. Let’s go,” a Secret Service agent yelled as authorities tried to evacuate thousands of rally attendees.
“This is an active crime scene,” another person said as a police helicopter flew overhead and a large police truck bearing the word “Explosives” drove through the crowd.
Others blamed organizers for apparent security lapses.
“Nice way to set boundaries,” one woman exclaimed as she walked away.
Another woman, who witnessed the pandemonium unfolding onstage, was crying uncontrollably and asking about Trump’s health.
A group was kneeling at the back of the field praying.
“When they brought him on stage, you got the impression that they were trying to throw him off the stage and he just wanted to stay there and pump his fist in the air to the world,” said Blake Marnell, 59, a salesman who was sitting in the front row.
“I never thought this would happen,” said Marnell, who attended the rally wearing Trump’s trademark brick wall suit, referring to Republican border policies.
When he returned to the podium, Trump was “covered” by Secret Service, he said. “I couldn’t see him, but I knew they were on him.”
“I definitely saw blood above my right ear. I’m not sure. I don’t know where it came from.”
“It’s a very sad day,” a visibly emotional Marnell, from San Diego, California, added.
“Put a word in for him to whoever you think is appropriate.”
