What to know: Latest on victims, assassination attempt at Trump rally & what’s ahead at RNC
Here is a roundup of coverage from Sunday, July 14, of what the FBI is describing as an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a Saturday, July 13, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The day’s events included Trump traveling to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention and President Joe Biden addressing the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday evening, saying “We must unite as one nation. We must unite as one nation to demonstrate who we are.”
Family: Rally spectator died shielding his wife, daughters
The man killed when shots broke out at former President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday was shielding his wife and daughters, a family member posted on Facebook.
His sister identified the victim as 50-year-old Corey Comperatore.
In a Facebook post mourning his loss, Comperatore’s sister, Dawn Comperatore Schafer, described her brother as a hero.
Two others were shot at the rally Saturday: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, was listed in stable condition Sunday, according to Pennsylvania State Police. James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, was also listed in stable condition.
— Katie Bernard and Max Marin, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Republican National Convention begins Monday
As Republicans begin arriving in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, the attempt on Trump’s life has created new pressures on the Republican Party entering the event.
“Now we have a situation where we don’t know what these conventions are going to look like. We’ve known that for the Democrats for a few weeks now, given doubts over Biden’s age. But now we have a Republican convention where we don’t know which Donald Trump will show up,” said Peter Kastor, chair of the History Department at Washington University in St. Louis.
The four-day convention is scheduled to begin Monday in Milwaukee. He is expected to receive the official nomination and to announce his running mate at the event.
Read full coverage of today’s latest news here.
— Michael Wilner, McClatchy’s Chief Washington Correspondent
Donald Trump still plans to attend RNC
Former President Donald Trump confirmed he’ll attend the Republican National Convention, despite being injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
The four-day convention is scheduled to begin Monday in Milwaukee. He is expected to receive the official nomination and to announce his running mate at the event.
— Miranda Davis, Bloomberg News
Update, 7:50 p.m. ET July 14: Former President Donald Trump has arrived in Milwaukee. Read more here.
Photo appears to capture path of bullet used in assassination attempt
In documenting the Pennsylvania campaign rally Saturday afternoon that turned into an attempt on a former president’s life, Doug Mills, a veteran New York Times photographer, appeared to capture the image of a bullet streaking past former President Donald Trump’s head.
That is the assessment of Michael Harrigan, a retired FBI special agent who spent 22 years in the bureau.
— John Ismay, The New York Times
Witnesses describe chaos after shooter opens fire
The long, hot day hadn’t discouraged the former president’s supporters, who broke into spontaneous Trump chants or held up signs through the afternoon, even as many fanned themselves with pieces of paper or poured water over their heads as the heat persisted.
When the former president finally came on stage, he launched into familiar themes, including the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. He endorsed former hedge fund CEO David McCormick for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat.
He was talking about immigration when the apparent gunshots began, shocking those in the crowd and sending the Secret Service scrambling to protect the former president.
Lolou Rose, 55, of Weirton, West Virginia, said her first thoughts were that the pops were fireworks. Once she realized “that it’s gunshots … you just feel the wave happening all over and we all come down.”
— Megan Tomasic and Abby Lipold, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/The Tribune Content Agency
What was security like for attendees of rally?
Attendees at former President Donald Trump’s Butler County rally on Saturday said security mirrored what they’d experienced at other Trump rallies.
But minutes into Trump’s speech, someone opened fire.
Early Sunday, the FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service said the suspected shooter was on “an elevated position” outside the rally.
To get into the rally, attendee Dylan Paulson, 19, there was a long line to go into tents where bags were checked, before about 10 metal detectors in addition to security using handheld detectors. He also noted a large police presence.
— Fallon Roth, The Philadelphia Inquirer/Tribune Content Agency
Trump campaign tells staff to prepare for more security
The former president’s campaign strategists issued a memo after the shooting advising staffers to avoid offices, refrain from making public comments, and prepare for heightened armed security.
— Newsweek
Russia: ‘Atmosphere’ created by Biden administration to blame
The current U.S. government prefers to “resolve all issues from a position of strength, including and primarily in world affairs,” a Kremlin spokesman said, an apparent reference to the administration’s backing of Ukraine in its war with Russia.
— Ellie Cook, Newsweek
Melania Trump urges Americans to show courage, respect
“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” the former first lady said in a statement.
— Susanne Barton, Bloomberg News/Tribune Content Agency
From the Opinion team
With blood streaking across Trump’s face, America learned the price of toxic politics. From the Miami Herald Editorial Board
After Trump shooting, stop: Here’s how we can all pull back from even more violence. From Kansas City Star’s Melinda Henneberger
Trump is safe after a deadly shooting at a campaign rally, but the nation is not. From The State’s Matthew T. Hall
This story was originally published July 14, 2024 at 2:05 PM with the headline "What to know: Latest on victims, assassination attempt at Trump rally & what’s ahead at RNC."