Republican and Democratic political leaders from across Georgia condemned a shooting targeting former President Donald Trump at a rally Saturday in Pennsylvania.
Secret Service agents rushed Trump off the stage, and his campaign later said he was fine and that he was being checked by medics. Butler County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Richard Goldinger said two people are dead, including an apparent shooter and a spectator. Many details of the attack remained unclear, but the incident is being investigated as a possible assassination attempt, officials told multiple media outlets.
In a social media post, Trump said he had been shot by a bullet that pierced the upper part of his 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,” he wrote.
The shooting happened as delegates from Georgia and elsewhere headed to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is set to be nominated for second term.
“What happened today is unconscionable. Violence has no place in the American political system. None,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican. “This attack and any like it cannot be tolerated.”
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a top ally of Democratic President Joe Biden, also weighed in.
“Violence is never acceptable,” the Democrat said. “An attack on a former President is also an attack on our Democracy.”
Mack Parnell of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition said the group’s prayers are with Trump and the nation.
“Now is the time to come together as Americans,” he said.
“There is no place for violence against a president or politician, no matter their party or platform,” said Democratic state Rep. Esther Panitch. “Pray for our country.”
The Carter Center issued a statement that said while the facts were unclear “all Americans should be able to gather peaceably without fear of violence.”
It was not immediately clear how the apparent gunman gained access to the rally. Secret Service authorities coordinate entry into campaign rallies.
Tickets are required for entry at Trump rallies but often require only a name and email address submitted on the public campaign website. Media is often subjected to additional scrutiny of laptops, cameras and other equipment.
Before entering the events, attendees walk through magnetometers staffed by Secret Service agents. At Saturday’s Pennsylvania event, organizers asked attendees to register for tickets in advance.
“I’m not sure what just happened,” Democratic Party of Georgia chair Nikema Williams wrote on social media, “but what I do know is that political violence is NEVER acceptable.”
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a fierce Trump ally, said it was unacceptable for Americans to allow political disagreements to turn violent.
“I am praying for our country and stand behind President Trump as he tries to unite the divisions that led to this despicable act,” he said.
Some Georgia Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson, immediately spread incendiary conspiracy theories about the attack. But leaders from both parties called for caution at a volatile moment.
“The right thing for all Americans to do here is come together and condemn the attack,” said Democratic state Sen. Josh McLaurin. “Senate Democrats are praying for Trump’s health.”
Some conservatives invoked the violence to call for looser firearms laws. Jerry Henry of the Georgia Second Amendment, a pro-gun group, called it another “reason that shows why we need guns.”
“If banning the guns worked, there wouldn’t have been anybody there to shoot (Trump) today,” he said. “What did they accomplish by banning guns?”
Democratic U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was gunned down 14 years ago, said the violence should bring more attention to efforts to reign in firearms laws.
“Nobody is safe from gun violence in our country,” McBath said. “From a former president to my own son. We cannot allow any place for political violence. My prayers are with the former president. We can and must do better.”
Gabriel Sterling is a state elections official who has long warned that heated rhetoric and election fraud lies could lead to violence. On Saturday, he warned that “violence has no place in America — ever.”
“This was a heinous act,” Sterling said. “We have our political fights with ballots, not bullets.”
Staff writers Patricia Murphy and Maya T. Prabhu contributed to this report.
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