Former president grabs ear after shots heard while on rally stage in Pennsylvania, campaign attendee confirmed dead

Cole Lauterbach
The Center Square

A bloody former President Donald Trump shook his fist into the air to show his supporters he was only wounded in what appeared to have been an attack against him at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. 

The presumed Republican candidate for president this November was speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Penn., when video of the event indicated multiple loud shots and saw Trump grab at his right ear. Campaign security quickly surrounded Trump and lowered him to the podium floor. 

Law enforcement stormed the stage, while Trump slowly rose to his feet allowing the crowd to see blood coming from the top of his right ear. 

Trump began gesturing to the crowd while being escorted off stage, inaudibly yelling. 

Secret Service members protecting Trump could be seen saying “shooter’s down,” indicating that someone who had fired at Trump was no longer a threat.

The Butler County District Attorney confirmed to media that the shooter was dead. 

The Trump campaign said the former president is being treated at a local hospital but is OK. A Washington Post reporter said “Butler county district attorney Richard Goldinger tells me Trump was grazed by gunfire but is safe. An audience member was killed and the shooter is dead. Another person is in serious condition, the prosecutor said.”

“The former president is safe,” the Secret Service said in a statement.

Video from the campaign does not indicate anyone else was injured. 

The attack occurred just two days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where GOP delegates will formally designate Trump as their presidential candidate to take on President Joe Biden in November.

This is a developing story. 

This report was first published by The Center Square.