Reporter’s Notebook: The Moments Before Donald Trump Got Shot

"Get down!" shouted the crowd in unison on that fateful Saturday evening at 6:11 p.m., in a small Pennsylvania town called Butler [para. 1][para. 2]. This town, a Republican stronghold, was hosting a campaign rally for Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee for the U.S presidential election. Pennsylvania, with its 20 electoral votes, remains a pivotal battleground state crucial to current Democratic President Joe Biden’s "Blue Wall" that helped him secure the 2020 election [para. 3]. Trump aims to reclaim Pennsylvania, along with Wisconsin and Michigan, to secure his potential re-election [para. 3].

Trump, wearing his signature MAGA cap, addressed the sweltering crowd at 6:02 p.m., which enthusiastically chanted "Trump" and "USA!" [para. 3][para. 4]. However, the crowd’s fervor waned minutes into his speech as many attendees turned their attention to their phones, scrolling through photos and videos of the ex-president [para. 4]. Suddenly, what seemed to be four to five consecutive gunshots pierced the air, shattering the relatively calm atmosphere of the rally [para. 2][para. 5].

As panic ensued, everyone instinctively dropped to the ground, taking cover [para. 1][para. 2][para. 5]. Amid this chaos, Trump sensed the danger and instinctively ducked behind the podium, as bullets whizzed by and shrapnel grazed his skin [para. 9]. Secret Service agents quickly swarmed Trump, forming a protective human shield around him. Despite being injured, Trump staggered back to the podium, raising his right arm in a display of resilience that shifted the crowd’s panic into roaring cheers [para. 10][para. 12].

Even though visibly disoriented, Trump’s act of defiance by punching the air and chanting "Fight, fight, fight!" energised the crowd further. He was ushered off the stage and into a vehicle, leaving the scene approximately two minutes after the gunfire [para. 12]. At that moment, the extent of Trump's injuries was not publicly known [para. 12].

As rumors of a "gunman" or "sniper" spread among the crowd, panic started setting in deeper [para. 13]. An elderly man speculated that the shots were fired from a position slightly ahead and to the right of Trump's podium but mistakenly struck a water hose, causing initial confusion [para. 13]. He added that three spectators had been injured in the incident, which was later corroborated by official statements from the police, Secret Service, and the FBI [para. 15][para. 16].

The shooter was later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania [para. 16]. His motives remain unclear as the FBI continues its investigation and urges the public to share any useful footage [para. 16].

The incident left many attendees, including a young man who drove five hours to attend the rally, in a state of shock and gratitude for their survival [para. 19]. Upon returning to his hotel, the writer turned on the TV to hear President Joe Biden condemning the violence, emphasizing that the political arena in America must not permit such acts [para. 20]. This incident brought a harsh realization that political violence can affect anyone in its orbit [para. 22].

The article concludes that moments like these highlight the ever-present risk of political violence, a chilling reminder punctuated by Trump's viral image, raising his right arm in defiance after the attack [para. 22]. The detailed account was provided by Zeng Jia, a reporter at Caixin Media, with translation assistance from Melody Cai [para. 23][para. 24].