Grand Rapids:

Donald Trump will hold his first campaign rally on Saturday since he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt one week ago and fresh from his nominating convention where his takeover of the Republican Party was cemented.

Trump will appear in Grand Rapids, in the battleground state of Michigan, along with his new vice presidential pick, Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance. It will be their first campaign event together as the now official Republican presidential ticket.

Republican Party officials said during Trump’s nominating convention in Milwaukee this week that his brush with death last Saturday had changed him, and that when he made his acceptance speech on Thursday night he would call for national unity.

While Trump began the address with a call for unity and national healing, much of his speech was his well-known list of grievances and attacks on opponents.

It is unclear what type of a speech Trump will deliver on Saturday, but his diehard supporters typically flock to such events to hear Trump’s more traditional inflammatory rhetoric.

Trump and Vance will take the stage in Grand Rapids with the Republican Party unified behind them after this week’s nominating convention. In contrast, the Democrats are in turmoil and it is no longer certain that President Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee facing Trump in the Nov. 5 election.

Biden is facing mounting calls from many elected officials in his own party to step aside as the party’s White House candidate and to end his re-election bid, after his poor debate performance against Trump last month.

Biden is trailing in opinion polls and is behind in every swing state against Trump. Many Democrats fear he may have virtually no path to victory and that the party needs a new presidential candidate to take on Trump.

The rally in Grand Rapids will be in an indoor arena, unlike the event in Butler, Pennsylvania last weekend, which was outdoors. At that event, the gunman was able to scale the roof of a building outside the Secret Service perimeter before opening fire on Trump, clipping his ear, killing a rally-goer and wounding several others.

The U.S. Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting Trump, declined to comment on security for the Grand Rapids event. An investigation is under way into the security failures at the Butler rally.

“The Secret Service does not discuss the means and methods used for our protective operations,” the agency said in a statement.

Trump gave a detailed account of his narrow brush with death in his convention speech on Thursday, telling the audience that he was only talking to them “by the grace of Almighty God.”

(Reporting by Tim Reid in Grand Rapids, editing by Ross Colvin and Alistair Bell)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
| Photo Credit: AP

President Joe Biden has directed the U.S. Secret Service to protect independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the Homeland Security secretary said on June 15.

Mr. Kennedy is a longshot to win Electoral College votes, much less the presidency. But his campaign events have drawn large crowds of supporters and people interested in his message.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Mr. Biden had directed the protection for Mr. Kennedy “both prior to and after the events of this past weekend.”

The Secret Service is legally required to protect major party presidential and vice presidential candidates and their families 120 days out from a general election, but third-party candidates are on an as-needed basis.

The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged in its 2024 budget overview that recent requests for candidate protection were coming in earlier than in the past.

Threats to political candidates are common, but law enforcement officials have said that there has been an uptick in violent rhetoric since the weekend attack at the Trump rally. Mayorkas said both Biden and Trump are “constantly the subject of threats.”

“We are in a heightened and very dynamic threat environment,” he said.

With a famous name and a loyal base, Mr. Kennedy has the potential to do better than any third-party presidential candidate since Ross Perot in the 1990s. But he didn’t participate in the first presidential debate on June 27. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns, who fear he could be a spoiler, bypassed the nonpartisan debate commission and agreed to a schedule that essentially left out Mr. Kennedy.

Mr. Kennedy, who last year challenged Mr. Biden for the Democratic nomination before launching an independent bid, has argued that his relatively strong showing in a few national polls gives his candidacy heft. Polls during the 2016 presidential campaign regularly put libertarian Gary Johnson’s support in the high single or low double digits, but he ultimately received only about 3% of the vote nationwide.

Trump became the official Republican presidential nominee on Monday after receiving the votes of enough delegates at the Republican National Convention. He was not seriously injured in the shooting over the weekend in Pennsylvania. There is an independent review of the attack.

Mayorkas said Trump’s protection has been enhanced based on the “evolving nature of the threats to the former president” and his shift from presumptive nominee to nominee.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Facing growing criticism over a massive security failure, the U.S. Secret Service on July 15 vowed to cooperate with an independent review after a shooter was allowed to open fire on Donald Trump.

The 78-year-old former president was injured but survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, a brazen attack that shocked a nation already deeply polarized ahead of the November election.

“The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again,” the agency’s director Kimberly Cheatle said in a statement.

“We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President (Joe) Biden yesterday and will participate fully,” Mr. Cheatle added.

Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when multiple bangs rang out.

He clutched his ear, with blood visible on his ear and cheek, then ducked to the floor as Secret Service agents swarmed onto the podium, surrounding him and rushing him to a nearby vehicle.

The shooter and a bystander were killed, and two spectators injured.

Mr. Biden ordered a full review of security at the rally, as well as at this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump will be crowned the party’s presidential nominee.

He also ordered Secret Service protection for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer and long-time vaccine skeptic who has no chance of winning in November, but whose candidacy could potentially sway close contests in key swing states.

Editorial | Dodging bullets: On an assassination bid and U.S. politics

Heightened risk

The Secret Service faces intense scrutiny over how a gunman aiming an assault rifle was able to take position on a roof some 500 feet (150 meters) from one of the most protected political figures on the planet.

And the questions grew louder when phone footage emerged of people sighting the gunman and trying to warn security before he opened fire.

With Trump set to star at the convention, Ms. Cheatle said the agency was working to toughen security.

The Secret Service designs plans for major events “to respond to a kinetic security environment and the most up-to-date intelligence,” her statement said.

Earlier in the day, Trump had called for Secret Service protection Kennedy Jr. “in light of what is going on in the world today.”

“Given the history of the Kennedy Family, this is the obvious right thing to do!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social web site.

Mr. Kenedy’s uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas in 1963. Five years later, the candidate’s father, Robert, was shot to death in Los Angeles.

The U.S. Secret Service is responsible for the safety of the president, vice president and former presidents, and their families, as well as major election candidates and visiting foreign heads of state.

Police officers stand watch outside the home of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, named by the FBI as the “subject involved” in the attempted assassination of former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The FBI said on July 15 it has gained access to the phone of the Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect in the shooting of former President Donald Trump, as it continues to investigate his motive for the crime.

The FBI stressed that its investigation into Saturday’s shooting, which is being treated as both an assassination attempt and potential domestic terrorism, is still in its early stages.

“FBI technical specialists successfully gained access to Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone, and they continue to analyze his electronic devices,” the FBI said in a statement.

“The search of the subject’s residence and vehicle are complete.”

The bureau added that it has conducted nearly 100 interviews with law enforcement personnel, event attendees and other witnesses.

In a call with reporters on Sunday, FBI officials said they had still not yet been able to attribute an ideology or find evidence of a motive for the shooting.

The AR-style 556 rifle used by the shooter was legally purchased by his father and officials said there was no indication that the suspect suffered from any mental health issues.

They added that a preliminary review of recent calls and texts by the shooter did not shed any light on his motive, or on whether others may have had prior knowledge of his plans.

Trump’s right ear was grazed by a bullet in the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in which one supporter was killed and two others were wounded before Secret Service agents shot dead 20-year-old Crooks. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Rami Ayyub and Eric Beech Editing by Alistair Bell)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

As Europe woke up to the news of the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump, its leaders took to social media to condemn the attack.

Trump rally shooting live updates

The U.K.’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” by the attack.

“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack,” Mr Starmer wrote on social media site X.

“My thoughts are with President Donald Trump, the victim of an assassination attempt,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote. “ It is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the shock and indignation of the American people,” he said.

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the attack “despicable”.

“Political violence has no place in a democracy,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

“My thoughts and prayers are with President Donald Trump in these dark hours, “ Hungarian Prime Minister and Trump ally, Viktor Orban said.

The man identified as the shooter in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump was a 20-year-old from a Pittsburgh suburb not far from the campaign rally where one attendee was killed.

Investigators were working on July 14 to gather more information about Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who they say opened fire at the rally before being killed by Secret Service days before Mr. Trump was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time.

An FBI official said late Saturday that investigators had not yet determined a motive. Two spectators were critically injured, authorities said.

Relatives of Crooks didn’t immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press. His father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN late Saturday that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but wouldn’t speak about his son until after he talked to law enforcement.

A blockade had been set up Sunday preventing traffic near Crooks’ house, which is in an enclave of modest brick houses nestled in the hills of blue-collar Pittsburgh.

Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.

Public Pennsylvania court records show no past criminal cases against Crooks.

The FBI released his identity early Sunday morning, hours after the shooting. Authorities told reporters that Crooks was not carrying identification so they were using DNA and other methods to confirm his identity.

‘It’s insanity’

Thomas Crooks graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative, according to the newspaper.

A 2022 graduation ceremony video cited by the New York Times shows Crooks receiving his high school diploma to some applause. Video from that ceremony posted online shows Crooks with glasses in a black graduation gown and posing with a school official. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video.

Law enforcement officials said on Saturday that Crooks carried no identification to the site of the shooting and had to be identified using other methods.

“We’re looking at photographs right now and we’re trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge, said during a press briefing.

USA Today reported that dozens of law enforcement vehicles were stationed outside a residence listed at the address on Crooks’ voter registration record. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene and a bomb squad was at the residence, USA Today reported. An Alleghany County Police vehicle was parked outside.

“It’s insanity that anyone would do this,” Dan Maloney, a 30-year-old resident from the area was quoted as saying by USA Today.

Reuters could not immediately identify social media accounts or other online postings by Crooks. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, did not immediately respond to questions on whether the platforms had removed any accounts related to the suspect.

Shooter identified as Thomas Mathew Crooks

The shooter who attempted to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Cooks, New York Post reported, citing sources.

Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, fired shots, one of which grazed Trump in the ear at an outdoor rally in Butler.

Thomas Matthew Cooks was planted on the roof of a manufacturing plant located over 130 yards away from the stage at Butler Farm Show grounds, the New York Post reported, citing sources. The US Secret Service snipers shot him and an AR-style rifle was later recovered. Bethel Park is a village 40 miles south of where Trump’s rally was held in Butler. Crooks’ motive behind firing on the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is unclear.

Trump rally shooting LIVE updates

Donald Trump was on stage at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania’s Butler before gunshots rang out and Secret Service agents stormed the stage, The Hill reported.

Secret Service investigate how gunman was able to get so close

The US Secret Service is investigating how a gunman armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get close enough to shoot and injure former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, a monumental failure of one the agency’s core duties.

The gunman, who was killed by Secret Service personnel, fired multiple shots at the stage from an “elevated position outside of the rally venue,” the agency said.

An Associated Press analysis of more than a dozen videos and photos taken at the Trump rally, as well as satellite imagery of the site, shows the shooter was able to get astonishingly close to the stage where the former president was speaking. A video posted to social media and geolocated by the AP shows the body of a man wearing gray camouflage lying motionless on the roof of a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds, where Trump’s rally was held.

The roof was less than 150 meters (yards) from where Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. For reference, 150 meters is a distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M16 assault rifle in basic training. The AR-15, like the shooter at the Trump rally had, is the semi-automatic civilian version of the military M16.

The Secret Service didn’t have anybody at a late-night news conference where FBI and Pennsylvania State Police officials briefed reporters on the shooting investigation. FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek said it was “surprising” that the gunman was able to fire at the stage before he was killed.

Members of the Secret Service’s counter sniper team and counter assault team were at the rally, according to two law enforcement officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

The heavily-armed counter assault team, whose Secret Service code name is “Hawkeye,” is responsible for eliminating threats so that other agents can shield and take away the person they are protecting. The counter sniper team, known by the code name “Hercules,” uses long-range binoculars and is equipped with sniper rifles to deal with long-range threats.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said his department and the Secret Service are working with law enforcement to investigate the shooting. Maintaining the security of presidential candidates and their campaign events is one of the department’s “most vital priorities,” he said.

“We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today,” Mayorkas said. “We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.“ Calls for an investigation came from all sides.

James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who is the House Oversight Committee chairman, said he contacted the Service Service for a briefing and called on Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing. Comer said his committee will send a formal invitation soon.

“Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers,” Comer said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, called for investigating “security failures” at the rally.

“The federal government must constantly learn from security failures in order to avoid repeating them, especially when those failures have implications for the nation,” Torres said.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, posted on X that he and his staff are in contact with security planning coordinators ahead of the Republican National Convention set to begin Monday in Milwaukee. “We cannot be a country that accepts political violence of any kind — that is not who we are as Americans,” Evers said.

The FBI said it will lead the investigation into the shooting, working with the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department “will bring every available resource to bear to this investigation.” “My heart is with the former President, those injured, and the family of the spectator killed in this horrific attack,” Garland said in a statement. “We will not tolerate violence of any kind, and violence like this is an attack on our democracy.”

The crowd reacts as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

A witness to the July 13 shooting at a Donald Trump rally told how a man next to him was shot dead during the apparent assassination attempt on the Republican presidential candidate.

“I heard several gunshots. The man beside me suffered a gun shot to the head, was instantly killed [and] fell to the bottom of the bleachers. Another woman looked like she got hit in the forearm or hand,” the man, whose name was only given as Joseph, told NBC News.

Trump rally shooting live updates: July 14, 2024

He said it seemed the victim was “in the way of the shots between whoever was shooting the gun and the President.”

A second witness, an unnamed man who said he was an emergency doctor, described trying to help one of the victims.

“Somebody over there was screaming he’s been shot, he’s been shot, so I made my way over, I said I’m an emergency department physician, let me help you,” said the man, who was wearing a white USA T-shirt stained with blood and a red MAGA hat.

“The guy had spun around, was jammed between the benches. He had a headshot here,” he said, indicating a spot on his head.

“There’s lots of blood and he had brain matter,” the man continued in comments that spread widely through US media.

Trump said he was hit in the ear but was not seriously injured by the gunman, who was killed after the incident.

Two other spectators were critically injured, the Secret Service said.

Former US President Donald Trump was rushed off stage after a series of gunshots were fired at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania today. As gunshots were heard, he grimaced and clutched a hand to his right ear, where blood was clearly visible across his cheek and mouth.

The suspected shooter was confirmed dead, while a spectator was killed, and two others “critically injured”.

Video: Moment Trump Was Attacked At Rally

In his first reaction to a shooting at his rally, the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate said in a statement he “was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear”. His campaign said he was “fine” and being checked at a medical facility.

Secret Service agents, who quickly surrounded the Republican candidate and escorted him roughly off the stage, 

Here are live updates on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally:

Multiple Shots Came From “Elevated Position” Outside Trump Rally Venue: Secret Service

The Secret Service said that multiple shots came from ‘elevated position’ outside Trump rally venue in Butler.

Trump Rally Shooting: Spectator Dead, Two “Critically” Injured

The Secret Service said one spectator has been killed, while two others “critically injured” in the Trump rally shooting.

Trump Supporters Seen Laying In Stands After Gunshots Fired At Republican

Trump supporters were seen laying in the stands after guns were fired at the Republican at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Photo: AFP

“Bullet Pierced Upper Part Of My Right Ear”: Trump On Shooting

In his first reaction to shooting at his rally, Donald Trump said he”was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear”.

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured,” he said in a statement.

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!,” he added.

“I Fully Endorse President Trump”: Elon Musk After Shooting At Rally

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has said that he “fully” endorses Trump after the rally violence.

“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote on X, as he shared a video of Trump pumping his fist while being escorted away by Secret Service agents.

I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024

Donald Trump Seen Being Evacuated By Secret Service Agents

A picture shows Secret Service agents surrounding Donald Trump onstage after shooting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Photo: AFP

George W Bush On Trump Rally Shooting

Former US president George W Bush also condemned the “cowardly” attack.

“Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life. And we commend the men and women of the Secret Service for their speedy response,” he said in a statement. 

Trump Rally Shooting: Video Shows Moment He Was Attacked

In a video that captures the shooting at Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, the former US President can be seen delivering his speech amongst a big crowd of his supporters when several gunshots are heard. 

After the first couple of gunshots that took the 78-year-old president unawares, he can be seen touching his right ear before ducking to take cover behind the stage dias.

TRUMP WAS JUST SHOT ON LIVE TV

Please stop what you’re doing and pray pic.twitter.com/jlYtCeRe3O

– End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 13, 2024 

The crowd behind him, visibly confused and scared, also ducks to dodge any bullet. 

Trump, whose right ear can be seen bleeding, raises his fist in the air while being evacuated.

Trump Rally Shooting: “Absolutely No Place For Political Violence”, Says Obama

Former US President Barack Obama also reacted to the apparent shooting at his successor Donald Trump’s rally and said there was “absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.”

“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics,” he posted on X.

There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics….

– Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 13, 2024

Donald Trump Rally Shooting: “Grateful To Hear He’s Safe”, Says Biden

US President Joe Biden said he was “grateful to hear” that his election rival Donald Trump was safe in a shooting incident at a rally in Pennsylvania. 

“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” Biden said in a statement shortly after the incident.

“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.

I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.

Jill and I are grateful to the Secret…

– President Biden (@POTUS) July 13, 2024

Trump Rally Shooting: Suspected Shooter Dead

The suspected shooter has been confirmed dead, along with one bystander, US media reported.

A second bystander may also have been hit.

The shooting took place shortly after Donald Trump took the stage at his final campaign rally before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.

Donald Trump “Fine” After Shooting At Rally In Butler, Pennsylvania

Donald Trump’s campaign said he was “fine” and being checked at a medical facility.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” said spokesperson Steven Cheung in a statement.

“The former president is safe,” the Secret Service said in a post on X.

Live Updates: Donald Trump Rushed Off Stage After Shooting At Rally

Former US President Donald Trump was rushed off stage after a series of gunshots were fired at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania today.

As gunshots were heard, he clutched a hand to his right ear, where blood was clearly visible across his cheek and mouth.