Former US President Donald Trump was hurried off stage after gunshots rang out at a rally in Pennsylvania in an apparent assassination attempt.
Video footage captured him wincing and raising a hand to his right ear before ducking as multiple sharp cracks—gunshots—were heard.
He was swiftly surrounded by US Secret Service agents and escorted off stage to a waiting vehicle. Trump raised a fist as he was rushed into the car.
In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump stated that a bullet had grazed the "upper part" of his right ear. Earlier, his spokesperson mentioned he was receiving treatment at a local medical center.
"I immediately knew something was wrong when I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and then felt the bullet tear through the skin," Trump wrote. "There was significant bleeding, and I quickly understood what was happening."
Blood was visibly seen on Trump's ear and face as security personnel escorted him away.
The suspect was shot dead at the scene by US Secret Service officers, according to the agency's spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. He added that one bystander was killed and two others were critically injured in the shooting.
Officials later confirmed that all three victims were male.
Law enforcement sources informed CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that the male attacker had been armed with a rifle and fired from an elevated position a few hundred meters away from the venue.
FBI agents, leading the investigation, told reporters in Butler that they had "tentatively identified" the deceased gunman but were still determining a motive.
Special Agent Kevin Rojek confirmed the agency was treating the incident as an assassination attempt. He added that the suspect was not carrying identification, and investigators were using DNA to formally identify him.
Trump, the Republican candidate for president, had just begun addressing his supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania—a crucial swing state in November's election—when the shots were fired.
Multiple gunshots were heard as Trump spoke about his successor, President Joe Biden, and his administration.
Several supporters holding placards and standing behind Trump ducked when the shots rang out.
Bystanders who spoke to the BBC suggested the gunfire might have originated from a one-story building to the right of the stage.
One witness, Greg, told the BBC he spotted a suspicious individual "bear crawling" on the building's roof about five minutes after Trump took the stage. He said he alerted the police.
"He had a rifle; we could clearly see it," he said. "We were pointing at him, and the police were running around on the ground—we were like, 'Hey, there's a guy on the roof with a rifle,' and the police seemed unaware."
Another attendee, Tim, told the BBC he heard a "barrage" of shots.
"There was a spray we initially thought was a fire hose, and then the speaker on the right-hand side started falling," he said. "Something must have hit the hydraulic lines causing it to collapse. We saw President Trump go to the ground, and everyone started dropping because it was chaotic."
Warren and Debbie, also at the rally, told the BBC they heard at least four gunshots. They both got on the ground as Secret Service agents moved through the crowd, instructing attendees to get down. People remained calm, they said.
"We couldn't believe it was happening," Warren remarked.
Debbie mentioned a little girl next to them was crying, saying she didn't want to die and questioning, "How is this happening to us?"
"That broke my heart," Debbie added.
Republican Congressman Ronnie Jackson told the BBC that his nephew was injured in the shooting, sustaining a minor wound to his neck and receiving treatment at the scene.
Speaking from his home state of Delaware, President Biden condemned the attack, calling it "sick."
"There is no place in America for this kind of violence," he said. "Everyone must denounce it."
The White House later reported that President Biden had spoken with Trump before returning to Washington, DC.
Trump remains in a tight contest with President Biden—the presumptive Democratic nominee—in a re-match of the 2020 election.
Politicians from both parties joined Biden in condemning the attack.
Former President Barack Obama stated there is "absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy" and expressed relief that Trump wasn’t seriously hurt.
Trump's former vice-president Mike Pence said he and his wife were praying for Trump and urged "every American to join us."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated: “My thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump. I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led international condemnation of the shooting, expressing his shock and stating that political violence has no place in society. His thoughts were with all the victims of the attack.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged people to oppose violence that "challenges democracy."
Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said he was "sickened by the shooting at former President Trump."
Trump was set to accept his party's nomination for president at the convention in Milwaukee on Monday. Some speculated he would reveal his running mate at the Butler rally.
Some Republicans quickly blamed President Biden for the shooting, accusing him of stoking fears about Trump’s potential return to office.
Senator JD Vance, considered a potential vice-presidential candidate for Trump, said the rhetoric from the Biden campaign had directly led to this incident.
Republican Congressman Mike Collins accused Biden of "inciting an assassination."
Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer announced plans to summon the Secret Service director before his panel.