Former President Donald Trump has been discharged from a hospital in Butler, Pennsylvania, following an attempted assassination during a campaign rally on the evening of July 13. The incident, which occurred at approximately 6:15 p.m., prompted swift action from law enforcement and emergency responders.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed Trump’s condition and departure in a statement shared on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), saying, “Under the protection of U.S. Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police, former President Trump has now left the Butler area.”
Initial reports indicate that a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania allegedly fired shots during Trump’s speech at the rally. Trump was addressing a crowd when gunfire erupted, causing chaos and prompting Secret Service agents to rush him off the stage to safety.
Under the protection of US Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police, former President Trump has now left the Butler area. Lori and I are thankful that his team reports that he is fine and we continue to wish him a full and speedy recovery.
We…
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 14, 2024
According to Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign spokesman, the former president was unharmed but taken to a local medical facility for evaluation. “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” Cheung stated. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
Eyewitnesses described a moment of confusion and fear as shots rang out. “We were standing on chairs watching President Trump speak and I saw him go down, but I was also hearing shots – it sounded like fireworks,” recounted a woman who attended the rally. “By four or five of them [shots], I realized it was a shooting, so I got down and I told people around me to get down.”
The rally, which was held as part of Trump’s campaign activities, was abruptly interrupted by the gunfire. Video footage from the event captured the tense moments as security personnel shielded Trump and swiftly evacuated him from the scene.
Law enforcement officials have launched an investigation into the incident, treating it as an attempted assassination of the former president. The Secret Service, responsible for Trump’s protection, stated, “This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
