Donald Trump. Photo Source: Trump's Facebook wall.
Butler/Delaware/New Delhi: Former United States of America President and presumptive Republican Party nominee Donald Trump escaped an apparent assassination attempt on July 13, 2024. He was reportedly shot in the ear in a barrage of gunfire that set off panic at his election rally in Butler in Pennsylvania. Soon the Secret Service surrounded him and rushed a bleeding Trump to his SUV. He was reported to be doing fine after the bullet pierced the upper side of his right ear.
In Delaware, President Joe Biden told journalists, “I have tried to get a hold of Donald. He’s with his doctors. They — apparently, he’s doing well. I plan on talking to him shortly, I hope, when I get back to the telephone”.
When asked whether he thought this was an assassination attempt, Biden replied, “I don’t know enough to — I — I have — I have a — I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts. So, I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make some comment — any more comments”.
He added, “Look, there is no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this”.
The gunman was later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation today. He was fatally shot by the Secret Service agents. One attendee was also killed and two spectators were critically injured, authorities said.
Biden said he was thoroughly briefed by all the agencies in the federal government about the situation, but added, “…we have more detail to come relative to the other injured — other people who may be injured in the audience… I don’t have all that detail, but we’ll make that available to you”.
He said that the the Secret Service and all the agencies, including the state agencies were “thoroughly investigating what happened to anyone else in the audience. I have s- — we have some reports, but not final reports”.
Biden said political violence or violence in America like this was just unheard of. “It was just not appropriate. And we — everybody — everybody must condemn it. Everybody,” he stressed.
“And every agency in the federal government, and I’ll be — and I’m going back to — to my phone to speak with the federal agencies that are being put together again to give me an updated briefing — has anything happened, have they learned anymore in the last couple hours,” he added.
In New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the attack on Trump and posted on X: “Deeply concerned by the attack on my friend, former President Donald Trump. Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased, those injured and the American people,” he stated.
– global bihari bureau
