Shots were fired from an AK-47-style rifle in former US President Donald Trump’s vicinity on the grounds of his golf course in Palm Beach Florida, where he was present. The Republican candidate is “safe”, his party campaign said.

Kamala Harris, US Vice President and Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate said she has been “briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida. I am glad that he is safe.” Ms Harris said, “Violence has no place in America.”

I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) September 15, 2024

The US Secret Service, the organization responsible for protecting serving and former Presidents, accompanied Mr Trump – A protocol followed by the team. 

The motive behind the shooting is unclear, but still, it came almost two months after a failed assassination attempt against Mr Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a shooter, atop a roof, shot a 5.56mm bullet from an AR-15 style rifle, which grazed his ear and blood splattering on his face. 

The US Secret Service accepted that it had failed to protect the former president at an election rally in Pennsylvania on July 13.

The Secret Service takes full responsibility for the tragic events of July 13th. This was a mission failure. The sole responsibility of our agency is to make sure our protectees are never put in danger. We fell short of that in Butler. And I’m working to make sure that this failure does not happen again,” Acting Director of the US Secret Service, Ronald Rowe said.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will be up against each other in the closely contested presidential elections scheduled for November this year. 

The incident in Florida comes days after the first Presidential debate between the rival candidates where Ms Harris “trumped” Donald Trump and a majority of debate watchers said Harris outperformed Trump, according to a CNN flash poll released shortly after the debate. YouGov showed 54% of those surveyed said Harris won while 31% said Trump was the victor.

Florida:

Donald Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity, the Republican presidential candidate’s team said today. “President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” campaign spokespersom Steven Cheung said a statement.

The shooting took place at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. A “person of interest” has been detained along with a weapon, the New York Times reported, citing local law enforcement officials.

Trump had been golfing when the gunshots were heard, multiple media reports said. Trump had been accompanied at the time by his Secret Service protective detail when shots were fired.

It was unclear who the shooter or shooters were, or what the motive was. There was no immediate indication that Trump had been targeted.  Media outlet CNN, citing security agency own sources, reported that officials believed the shots at the golf club were indeed intended for Trump.

The former US president’s son Donald Trump Jr. said that authorities also found an AK-47 rifle in the bushes, extremely close to the spot from where Trump was leaving.

“Again folks! SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Again folks!

SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement. The Trump campaign has released a statement confirming former President Trump is safe.

A suspect has reportedly been apprehended. pic.twitter.com/FwRfrO3v6y

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 15, 2024

The White House quickly issued a statement saying both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic rival in the November elections, had been briefed about the incident.

“They are relieved to know that he is safe,” the statement said.

The shooting comes just two months after the former president was wounded in the ear when a gunman opened fire during a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

The US Secret Service, tasked with protecting presidents, former presidents and other dignitaries, faced criticism after the Pennsylvania incident.

Kimberly Cheatle, the head of the agency, resigned amid the ensuing scrutiny, and at least five Secret Service agents were placed on administrative leave.

Former United States President Donald Trump recently revealed his wife Melania Trump’s first reaction after he was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Mr Trump was hit in the ear in an assassination bid by a gunman at a campaign rally. Blood was visible on his cheeks and mouth. The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He and a bystander were killed, while two spectators were critically injured.

“What was Melania’s reaction, I hope you don’t mind me asking, I know this is very personal, when she learned about what happened on that field in Butler?” Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked the former president. “She was watching live. It was all over the place, it was on television,” Mr Trump said.

“And I asked her that, I mean I wasn’t there, I was on the ground-when the world started to, when you could talk to people and said, ‘So what was your feeling,’ and she was ah, she can’t really even talk about it-“

The 45th US President continued, “Which is OK, because that means she likes me or she loves me. Let’s say if she could talk about it freely, that would be, I’m not so sure which is better but ah, she either likes or loves me, that’s nice.”

Meanwhile, the former first lady said that the gunman who opened fire at Mr Trump was a “monster”. “A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion — his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,” Melania Trump said in a statement shared on X.

“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she said, referencing the couple’s 18-year-old son.

“I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband,” she added.

Former US President Donald Trump is planning to stop holding campaign rallies outdoors in the wake of the 13 July assassination attempt, as per a report in Newsweek. The team of the Republican contender for 2024 has stated that campaigning will be held indoors for security reasons. Mr Trump might still make an appearance at smaller outdoor rallies, but they will take place in places like stadiums with strictly restricted admissions.

Notably, Mr Trump has hosted hundreds of outdoor rallies since he announced his presidential campaign. For his fans and supporters, these events have taken on the character of festivals, complete with parties and vendors selling campaign memorabilia and products.

The move, which was first reported by the Washington Post, coincides with the resignation of Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, on Tuesday. Ms Cheatle was subjected to a hostile grilling by both Democrats and Republicans before a congressional committee over apparent security lapses before a 20-year-old gunman’s attempt on Mr Trump’s life.

In a letter of resignation, Ms Cheatle stated she had decided to leave the agency “with a heavy heart,” citing the Butler rally as the reason it “fell short” of the agency’s mandate to “protect our nation’s leaders.”

According to the Washington Post report, Mr Trump’s team informed the Secret Service that the 2024 re-election campaign intended to host big events and would require more resources and security. However, it is believed that the agency rejected the requests due to a shortage of funding.

Meanwhile, the 45th US President was hit in the ear in an assassination bid by a gunman at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania today. Blood was visible on his cheeks and mouth. The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He has been killed. A spectator was also killed in the shooting and two others were “critically” injured, officials said.

The 78-year-old Republican presidential contender, whose team claimed he was “fine,” was attacked shortly as he began his speech. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social account.