Donald Trump survives assassination attempt

Donald Trump was struck in the ear during an assassination attempt by a gunman at a campaign rally on Saturday, causing chaos and shock just before the US presidential election.

The 78-year-old former president was hurried off stage with blood on his face after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooter and a bystander were killed, and two spectators were critically injured.

The Republican candidate raised his fist to the crowd as he was escorted to safety. He later stated, "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."

US president Joe Biden, who is set to face Trump in the upcoming election, condemned the incident as "sick" and stated, "there is no place in America for this kind of violence." Biden later spoke to Trump, according to the White House.

The FBI identified the gunman, who was shot dead, as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. His motive is still unknown.

The US Secret Service reported that the shooter "fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally" before being "neutralised" by agents.

Images showed the assailant's body on the roof of a low building where he had fired, causing panic among Trump supporters.

The FBI confirmed the shooting is being treated as "an assassination attempt against our former president, Donald Trump." The shooter is believed to have acted alone, but law enforcement officials have not released further details.

Witnesses reported seeing the gunman before the shooting and alerted authorities. Butler police responded to several reports of suspicious activity but provided no additional information.

Trump, wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cap, had just started speaking at his final rally before the Republican National Convention when the shots were fired. He grimaced and clutched his ear, with blood visible on his ear and cheek, then ducked as Secret Service agents surrounded him and escorted him off the stage to a vehicle.

"It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country," Trump said on his Truth Social network hours later. "I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening."

Video footage posted by his deputy communications director showed Trump walking unaided from his plane, though his wounded ear was not facing the camera. The New York Times reported that he was staying the night in New Jersey.

Police confirmed that a male spectator was killed and two were critically injured in the shooting.

The incident caused shock waves globally, with leaders from Britain, Israel, Japan, and other countries expressing outrage. Biden cut short a trip to his Delaware beach house to return to Washington for an updated briefing from security officials.

The attack has heightened political tensions, with some Republicans blaming Biden, and right-wing conspiracy theories spreading on social media. Possible Trump vice presidential pick JD Vance said Biden's "rhetoric" had "led directly" to the Trump attack.

Trump's campaign confirmed he would still attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee after a precautionary hospital checkup.

The convention will now focus on the shooting at the rally, which caused panic and screams among the crowd.

"Let me get my shoes," Trump was heard saying on the microphone as security agents helped him to his feet. He turned to the crowd, repeatedly raised his fist, and mouthed words that were not immediately clear, creating an iconic image. Agents then bundled him into an SUV.

"We saw a lot of people go down, looking confused. I heard the shots," said John Yeykal from Franklin, Pennsylvania, attending his first Trump rally.

US political figures, including former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, condemned the attack and stated there is no place for violence in politics. Billionaire Elon Musk quickly endorsed Trump following the incident.

The United States has a history of political violence. President John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, his brother Bobby Kennedy was shot dead in 1968, and president Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in 1981.

(With inputs from AFP)