What You Need To Know About The Donald Trump Assassination Attempt

The shooting at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pa. had news outlets and social media scrambling for answers Saturday afternoon, but after a night of memes and reporting, some details behind the incident have begun to materialize. Here’s what we know so far.

AP News reports that former president was minutes into a speech when loud popping noises rang out from the crowd after 6:10 p.m. Trump reached for the right side of his face, before ducking under a swarm of Secret Service agents that surrounded to protect him. Voices from the stage shouted “shooter down” moments later. Trump then stood up with what appeared to be blood on his ear and his cheek, and triumphantly pumped his fist as the audience chanted “USA! USA!” in response. His security detail then rushed him to a nearby vehicle to leave the premises.

The FBI has since labeled the incident as an assassination attempt, and identified the suspect on Sunday morning as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pa. Secret Service agents shot and killed him seconds after he allegedly fired his shot from a nearby rooftop. AP News reports that the incident left one other rally attendee dead, and two critically wounded. The three victims haven’t been formally identified, but all were reportedly men.

Trump was rushed to a nearby medical facility, and his campaign said that he was injured, but that he was “fine.” He used his social media platform Truth Social to tell followers that he 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.”

President Joe Biden held an impromptu press conference to speak about the shooting. He said that he had been unable to successfully contact Trump, but that he’s been told that he’s safe and doing well.

According to Reuters, state records show alleged shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks as a registered Republican; this upcoming election would be his first time being old enough to vote in an election. At age 17 he reportedly made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that raises money for Democratic candidates. The FBI is still working to determine motive in the shooting.

Organizers said that the Republican National Convention, scheduled to begin in Milwaukee, Wis. on Monday, July 15, will continue as planned.