Trump heads to convention as authorities investigate motive, security of assassination attempt – WSB-TV Channel 2

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said the upper part of his right ear was pierced by a bullet. Aides said he was in “very good spirits” and doing well. He arrived in Milwaukee Sunday night for the convention, which begins Monday. He told the Washington Examiner that he had rewritten his speech for the event to focus more on national unity than Biden’s policies.

In a message posted on his social media site Sunday, Trump said: “Right now, it is more important than ever that we stand together and show our true character as Americans, by remaining strong and determined and not allowing evil to win.”

In a prime-time speech, Biden urged the audience to reengage in civilized debate. “There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exceptions,” he said. “We cannot allow this violence to be normalized.”

On Saturday night, Trump spoke briefly with Biden, whose Sunday night speech marked the third time he has addressed the shooting.

The rally attendee who was killed was Corey Comperatore, a former area fire chief, according to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who said Comperatore “died a hero.”

“His wife told me he dove on his family to protect them,” Shapiro said. The two injured bystanders are in stable condition.

The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the shooting scene.

The gunman had his father’s AR-style rifle and was perched atop a nearby roof when rally-goers reported him to local law enforcement, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation.

A local law enforcement officer climbed onto the roof and found Crooks, who pointed the rifle at the officer. The officer backed down the ladder and the gunman quickly shot Trump, officials said. That’s when U.S. Secret Service gunmen shot him, officials said.

Questions have mounted about how the shooter got so close. Kevin Rojek, the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office agent, said it was “surprising” that the shooter was able to open fire at the scene before Secret Service personnel killed him.

Bomb-making materials were found in Crooks’ vehicle and at his home, authorities said. The FBI described the devices as “rudimentary.”

His motives remain unclear. Crooks was not in the FBI’s sights and is believed to have acted alone. Investigators combed through his social media accounts but did not immediately find any threatening writings or messages or any communications that indicated an ideological motive. His family has been cooperative. Relatives did not respond to messages seeking comment from the AP.

Crooks’ political beliefs are unclear. Records show he registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day Biden was sworn in.

The lack of a clear ideological motive adds to the depth of questions about the shooting.

Biden urged Americans to remain patient. “Please don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations,” he said.

The attack was the most serious assassination attempt against a president or presidential candidate since the 1981 assassination of Ronald Reagan and drew new attention to concerns about political violence in a deeply polarized country with less than four months to go before the election.

FBI Assistant Director Paul Abbate said agents have seen an increase in violent online rhetoric since the rally, as well as people impersonating the dead shooter. He added that the FBI is focusing on upcoming political conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago.

Biden on Sunday ordered a security review of operations for the Republican National Convention, which is proceeding as planned. The Secret Service said it was “confident” in the security plan and that no additional changes were planned.

Biden said the two men had a “brief but interesting” conversation Saturday night. Biden returned to Washington from his Delaware beach house where he met with leaders in the Situation Room about the attack.

Many Republicans have blamed the violence on Biden and his allies, saying the sustained attacks on Trump as a threat to democracy have created a toxic environment.

It’s not yet clear whether Biden will be forced to rethink a campaign largely focused on Trump as a threat to democracy. That’s a situation the United States hasn’t seen since Teddy Roosevelt was shot a month before the 1912 election while campaigning to retake the White House as a third-party candidate.

Trump was showing a chart showing the number of border crossings when the gunfire began after 6:10 p.m. Saturday.

As the first sound of gunfire rang out, Trump said “oh,” put his hand to his right ear and looked at it, then quickly crouched to the ground. People in the stands behind him also crouched as the screams rang out.

Someone near the microphone was heard yelling, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as officers rushed onto the stage. They piled on top of Trump to protect him while other officers took up positions on stage to scan for the threat.

Then voices were heard repeatedly saying, “Shooter down,” before someone asked, “Are we ready to move?” and “Are we ready?” Then someone ordered, “Let’s go.”

Trump stood up moments later and could be seen reaching his right hand toward his blood-stained face. He then raised his fist in the air and appeared to say the word “fight” twice, prompting cheers and chants of “USA. USA. USA.”

His motorcade left moments later. Video shows Trump turning toward the crowd and raising his fist just before being put into a vehicle.

When the shooting started, “everybody got on their knees or in a prone position,” said Dave McCormick, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, who was sitting to Trump’s right on stage.

Seeing Trump raise his fist, McCormick said, he looked over his shoulder and noticed someone had been hit in the stands behind the stage.

Eventually, first responders were able to transport the injured person from the scene, McCormick said.

Reporters heard five or six shots, and many took cover under tables. After the first two or three shots, people in the crowd seemed surprised but not panicked. One AP reporter described the sound as initially sounding like firecrackers, or perhaps a car backfiring.

When it became clear that the situation was under control and that Trump would not return to speak, attendees began to file out. Police quickly asked everyone to leave, and Secret Service agents described the site as “an actual crime scene.”

Republican Rep. Mike Kelly, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, was there with his wife and grandchildren and was standing right behind Trump when he was shot. Kelly said he was “in a state of bewilderment about what has happened to the United States of America.”

“I wish people would tone it down,” he said. “Stop trying to find someone, to blame someone. The fault lies somewhere in the psyche of America.”

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Colvin, Balsamo and Price reported from New York. Long and Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Will Weissert, Michael Biesecker, Alanna Durkin Richer, Lisa Mascaro and Tara Copp in Washington, and Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.