Report From the Shooting at Trump’s Rally: ‘Get Down! Shots Fired!’

It sounded like a small caliber weapon. Everyone immediately ducked.

By Simon J. Levien

Reporting from the scene in Butler, Pa.

July 13, 2024

8:42 p.m. ET

Former President Donald J. Trump had just started to talk about immigration in his stump speech when several shots rang out from the bleachers to his right. It sounded like a small-caliber weapon.

Everyone immediately ducked — myself included. I was in an area cordoned off for journalists, directly facing the stage.

There were screams in the crowd as Mr. Trump ducked to the ground before being surrounded by bodyguards. Around me, people were screaming and saying, “Get down, get down, shots fired.” I ducked under the press stand and remained there — until I heard cheering.

I came out and saw Mr. Trump raising his fist defiantly. The crowd, though subdued, cheered. I saw Mr. Trump led down the stairs of the stage to his left, taken immediately to a vehicle. An armored truck also arrived.

I saw police and men in military fatigues yank someone off the bleachers on the other side, in the direction where I’d heard the sound of gunfire.

On those stage-right bleachers, there were people crowded around several people lying prone.

“Trump was just elected today, folks,” I heard a man shout. “He is a martyr.”

It appeared that at least three people were injured.

The Secret Service quickly cleared the press area, moved the crowd out and declared the rally setting a crime scene. State troopers cordoned off a section of the stage-right bleachers with yellow tape.

There was confusion, and the crowd dispersed slowly. On the stage-right bleachers, now empty, I saw blood.

Several medical helicopters arrived after 7 p.m. and departed minutes later, headed south, toward Pittsburgh, about 35 miles away.