President Biden condemned the apparent shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania and said he was “grateful” that his political opponent was safe.
“I’m glad to hear he’s safe and well,” Biden said in a statement shortly after being informed of the incident. “As we await more information, I’m praying for him, his family and all those who were at the rally.”
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety,” Biden added. “This kind of violence has no place in America. We must come together as one nation to condemn it.”
Some of Biden’s critics have complained that he took so long to speak out publicly about the shooting at the Trump rally, pointing out that former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush had issued statements before Biden.
Trump had been on stage for only a few moments at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when what sounded like a gunshot rang out and Secret Service agents stormed onto the stage, leaving Trump with blood coming from his ears and some blood on his face.
As the former president was being escorted away by police, he pointed a gun at the crowd.
In a statement, the Trump campaign said the former president was “in good spirits and is undergoing testing at a local medical facility. More details will be released at a later date.”
The Butler County District Attorney told The Associated Press that the suspected shooter is dead and that a rally attendee was also killed.
