Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Donald Trump’s campaign says he is safe after gunshots were reported in his vicinity Sunday (September 15, 2024) afternoon in Florida, his campaign and the Secret Service said.
It was not immediately clear whether the reported shots were targeted at the Republican presidential nominee.
The US Secret Service said it was investigating and that the incident occurred shortly before 2 pm. “The former president is safe,” according to the Secret Service.
Roughly two months ago, Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear.
Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser.
The campaign did not immediately provide any additional details.
A law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation said officials were trying to determine whether the shots were fired near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course or on the grounds. The official was not authorised to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Trump often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, which is one of three he owns in the state.
Trump has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he has been at Trump Tower in New York, a lineup of dump trucks have parked in a wall outside the building. And at outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind an enclosure of bulletproof glass.
A message sent to campaign officials seeking information on the security status and location of Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, was not immediately returned..
Campaign communications director Steven Cheung says Trump was safe.
Published – September 16, 2024 12:31 am IST
