Former US President Donald Trump was seen walking down from his aeroplane after arriving in New Jersey, video released by a senior member of his communications team on Sunday showed, after he was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Margo Martin, Trump's Deputy Director of Communications, posted the video on X early on Sunday, along with a message reading; "Strong and resilient. He will never stop fighting for America." It was an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail. Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.
Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally Saturday (July 13) after a major security lapse, an attack that will likely reshape this year’s presidential race and fuel long-standing fears that the campaign could descend into political violence. The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the 'subject involved' in what it termed an attempted assassination in a statement early on Sunday.
VIDEO: Trump lands in New Jersey, plans to spend the night at his private golf club
Records show Crooks, was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on January 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn into office. Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation.
How US Secret Service agent killed sniper
Members of the Secret Service's counter-sniper team and counter-assault team were at the rally, according to two law enforcement officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss details of the investigation. The heavily armed counter-assault team, whose Secret Service code name is “Hawkeye,” is responsible for eliminating threats so that other agents can shield and take away the person they are protecting. The counter-sniper team, known by the code name “Hercules,” uses long-range binoculars and is equipped with sniper rifles to deal with long-range threats.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said his department and the Secret Service are working with law enforcement to investigate the shooting. Maintaining the security of presidential candidates and their campaign events is one of the department’s “most vital priorities,” he said. “We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today,” Mayorkas said. “We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.“Calls for an investigation came from all sides.
(With inputs from agency)
