Donald Trump rally shooting updates — Video shows RNC security as former president to speak after assassination attempt
SECURITY is ramped up at the Republican National Convention (RNC) as Donald Trump is set to give his first public speech this week after a gunman attempted to assassinate him at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Footage of the RNC in Milwaukee shows miles of barricades, steel fencing, and armed cops and checkpoints for the event, which saw Trump announced as the Republican Party's nominee Monday.
Trump's pick for vice president was also revealed to be Senator JD Vance - a decision with added weight as the running mate will step up in case of an emergency like the one that was prevented this weekend.
Gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, fired at least eight shots toward the stage, killing a spectator and wounding Trump and two others in an attempt to assassinate the former president.
Trump suffered an injury to his ear and was seen bloodied as he was rushed off stage but is now doing well and in Milwaukee for the RNC.
While it's unclear if Trump will take the stage more than once, he's expected to speak Thursday on the last day of the convention.
Follow our Donald Trump rally shooting blog for news and updates...
Victim's widow reveals last words
Corey Comperatore's widow, Helen Comperatore, told the New York Post that his last words were shouting at his family to get down as he shielded them from the gunfire.
"He’s my hero,” Helen told the outlet.
“He just said, ‘get down!’ That was the last thing he said.”
Biden regrets 'bullseye' comment
Joe Biden admitted it was a mistake to discuss putting Donald Trump "in the bullseye" just days before an attempted assassination on the former president.
In an interview with NBC's Lester Holt on Monday, Biden stressed he was referring to the level of focus on Trump's agenda at the time, insisting there was not enough.
However, the president defended his statement, saying in hindsight he regrets using the word "bullseye," but stresses the message remains the same.
"What I was talking about at the time was there is very little focus on Trump's agenda." the president told Holt.
"I didn't mean crosshairs or bullseye," Biden explained.
"I meant to focus on him, focus on what he is doing, focus on his policies, focus on the number of lies he told at the debate, there is a whole range of things," Biden said.
Gunman's family left shocked
Suspected gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, was asked for a comment by CNN on Saturday night as he said he was still trying to figure out “what the hell is going on."
He told reporters he is going to “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.
FBI identified gunman
The FBI released a statement during the early hours of Sunday saying: "The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on 13 July, in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"This remains an active and ongoing investigation."
The FBI managed to identify Crooks through his DNA with officials saying he didn't have any ID on him when he was found.
An AR-15 was reportedly recovered near his body.
Officers said they are looking into the motive for the shooting.
Jack Black's bandmate mocks assassination attempt
Jack Black and his Tenacious D bandmate have come under fire after the latter made a joke about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump just hours after it happened.
The comedy rock duo consisting of Black and Kyle Gass were performing in Sydney on Sunday when the crowd celebrated Gass' birthday.
Gass was given a cake for his 64th birthday as Black led the crowd into a rendition of Happy Birthday to You.
"Make a wish," Black urged before Gass blew out the candles on his birthday cake.
"Don't miss Trump next time," Gass joked as members of the audience laughed and clapped.
Corey Comperatore pictured
Corey Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed in the attempted assassination on Donald Trump Saturday.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Credit: Facebook/Allyson Comperatore What Corey Comperatore did for a living
Corey Comperatore formerly served as the chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company.
This is about 15 miles southeast of Butler, Pennsylvania.
According to his social media profiles, in addition to his firefighting work, Mr Comperatore was a project and tooling engineer at a plastics manufacturers.
What to know about Corey Comperatore
Corey Comperatore lived in Sarver, Pennsylvania and was husband to Helen and father to two daughters - Allyson, 27, and Kaylee, 24.
The 50-year-old victim was an "avid supporter of the former president and was so excited to be there last night with him in the community," Governor Josh Shapiro said.
Shapiro said Mr Comperatore died a "hero."
Reaction to rally shooting
Donald Trump Rally Shooting Reaction
Dozens of politicians and celebrities have offered their support for the former president after he was reportedly grazed by gunfire at his Pennsylvania rally on July 13.
President Biden held a brief press conference just after 8 pm ET. He said he was hoping to speak to Trump.
"Look, there's no place in America for this kind of violence. It's sick," the president continued. "We cannot condone this."
Vice President Harris said she was "relieved" Trump was not seriously injured.
"Violence such as this has no place in our nation," she continued.
Former President Obama said on X: "There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.
"Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.
Donald Trump, Jr shared a photo of his father raising a fist moments after he was shot with the caption: "He'll never stop fighting to Save America."
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr said: "Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence, and unite in prayer for President Trump and his family."
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said: "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery."
Britain's new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer took to X to say: "I am appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump's rally and we send him and his family our best wishes.
"Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack."
Reform leader and newly elected MP Nigel Farage said it is a "miracle" that his friend is still alive.
Farage told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: "I was very upset when I heard the news late last night, Donald Trump survived by a miracle, frankly.
"But one innocent man is dead, two are fighting for their lives in hospital. It's horrible, and yet somehow not surprising."
Former PM Boris Johnson also gave his condolences to Trump and his family as he said it shows "the tragic fragility of democracy in the face of violence and unreason".
Ukrainian PM Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been a target for assassins in the past, also said he was "appalled" by the events in the US.
"Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail," he said on X.
"I extend my wishes for strength to everyone who is horrified by this event. I wish America emerges stronger from this."
Inside the security blunders, part three
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi insisted after the shooting that agents worked with local law enforcement to shore up event security.
But no snipers were posted on the roof used by Crooks.
Investigators will doubtlessly be tasked with finding out why.
Inside the security blunders, part two
Satellite images from Saturday's rally, held in a series of open-air fields in Pennsylvania, show just how close the gunman got to his target.
Thomas Crooks, 20, clambered onto the roof of a building some 425 feet from Trump's stage and lay in wait with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
Shocking reports have revealed that the roof in question was even dubbed a security risk before the shooting.
Sources close to the Secret Service told NBC that the building was assessed by agents ahead of the event.
One of them said: "Someone should have been on the roof or securing the building so no one could get on the roof."
Inside the security blunders, part one
A series of glaringly obvious security blunders at Donald Trump's rally have raised questions after the former President was almost killed.
It has been claimed that Secret Service agents failed to properly secure the area ahead of the event, even after flagging the shooter's perch as a security risk.
Supporters in the crowd allegedly alerted police to the man, crawling onto a nearby building with a rifle in hand, and were ignored.
And perhaps most shocking of all, one report claims a local police officer confronted the shooter on the roof before climbing down - seconds before Trump was hit.
Watch Thomas Crooks in BlackRock ad
Black Rock AdBlackRock shares statement
BlackRock said that while the ad has been removed from circulation, it is still available for investigators to review.
"In 2022, we ran an ad featuring a teacher from Bethel Park High School, in which several unpaid students briefly appeared in the background, including Thomas Matthew Crooks," the company said in a statement.
"The assassination attempt on former President Trump is abhorrent," BlackRock said in a statement.
"We’re thankful former President Trump wasn’t seriously injured, and thinking about all the innocent bystanders and victims of this awful act, especially the person who was killed."
Shooter appeared in BlackRock commercial
Two years before his assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, Thomas Crooks appeared in a commercial that has since been pulled from the air.
BlackRock, the world's largest money management company, removed the ad, which briefly featured the 20-year-old.
The 2022 ad showed Crooks, a student at Bethel Park High School at the time, along with other unpaid teens.
An AP and honors economics class that Crooks attended at the time is shown in the 30-second ad. He's seen sitting at a desk while listening to his teacher, only appearing on screen for a few seconds.
He graduated the same year the commercial aired and was among a dozen students who received National Math & Science Initiative Star Awards, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Biden slams Trump and Vance
Minutes after Donald Trump announced JD Vance as his running mate, Biden posted on X, slamming Vance and Trump.
"Here's the deal about J.D. Vance. He talks a big game about working people," Biden wrote.
"But now, he and Trump want to raise taxes on middle-class families while pushing more tax cuts for the rich.
"Well, I don't intend to let them. And if you're with me, pitch in."
Hearing announced for next week
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer has announced a hearing next week with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to discuss the attempted assassination.
“The United States Secret Service has a no-fail mission, yet it failed on Saturday when a madman attempted to assassinate President Trump, killed an innocent victim, and harmed others," Chairman Comer said.
"We are grateful to the brave Secret Service agents who acted quickly to protect President Trump after shots were fired and the American patriots who sought to help victims, but questions remain about how a rooftop within proximity to President Trump was left unsecure.
“Americans demand answers from Director Kimberly Cheatle about these security lapses and how we can prevent this from happening again. We look forward to Director Cheatle’s testimony this upcoming Monday, July 22.”
The hearing, which will be open to the public, is next Monday at 10 am ET.
Attendee feels 'pretty secure' at RNC
Nancy McArthur, Republican Party Chair for Geauga County, Ohio, told The U.S. Sun that she feels "pretty secure" at this year's RNC after this weekend's attempted assassination.
"Obviously there were problems with the security in Pennsylvania, which is not that far from where I live, I don't know what happened there, but something went down, and that should not ever happen again," she said.
Gunman told his dad he was 'going to the range'
On Saturday, suspected gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks told his dad he wanted to go to the shooting range, according to ABC News.
A source familiar with the matter told the outlet that it wasn't unusual for Crooks to go to the gun range and bring his dad's gun.
Crooks' dad let the 20-year-old borrow his AR-15 as it didn't seem like an unusual occurrence.
'Finish what we started'
Corrine "Corky" Haynes from Phoenix, Arizona, told The U.S. Sun that she came to the RNC to "finish what we started."
"Hey, we're Maga, we're Republicans, we feel safe wherever we go. We're not fearful, we will not comply," she said when asked about safety at the event following the failed assassination attempt on Trump.
"You notice, that whole crowd, when that happened to Trump, did they run in fear? They stood right there, ready to fight. Next man up."
'God forbid it should happen again'
Nancy McArthur, Republican Party Chair for Geauga County, Ohio, told The U.S. Sun that she's "excited" by the announcement that JD Vance will be Donald Trump's running mate.
"Good for Ohio, and good for our country," McArthur said.
"We're really excited that he's going to step up and do this for our country and for Donald Trump."
She added, "It's Trump's pick, he needs to have somebody that's got his back, and that believes in him. He and JD have been close for quite some time, and Vance is close with his son.
"Being loyal to [Trump], and Trump knowing he has someone who can easily step up and take his place - and it almost happened, right, the other day - God forbid it should happen again.
"I trust Trump's pick and I know JD is going to do great things not just for Ohio but for the country."
Trump supporters want landslide victory
Supporters say they're looking for a landslide victory in November as Trump takes on bitter rival President Joe Biden.
"The vibe is very positive. The party is totally united behind President Trump," Ronald Soloman, 65, a businessman who founded The Maga Mall, told The U.S. Sun.
"We're looking for a landslide victory in November.
"What happened at the weekend was a tragic moment... people have to wake up and realize what is actually happening in this country."
Trump family announced the news at RNC
Eric Trump beamed with pride as he had the honor of announcing the delegates that officially made his dad Donald the Republican Party's presidential nominee.
He was joined by his wife, Lara Trump, and brother, Donald Jr., as he announced that 125 delegates from Florida nominated "the greatest president that's ever lived."
"[We] hereby declare him the Republican nominee for President of the United States of America."
Trump is the official nominee
Donald Trump is the official Republican Party nominee for this year's election.
This is the third time he's been named the presidential nominee for the party.
Melania Trump's statement in full
Melania Trump's response to shooting
On Sunday morning, Melania broke her silence with a statement about the shooting.
"I am thinking of you now, my fellow Americans.
"We have always been a unique union. America, the fabric of our gentle nation is tattered, but our courage and common sense must ascent and bring us back together as one.
"When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave Secret Service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband.
"To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me.
"A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. The core facets of my husband's life - his human side - were buried below the political machine.
"Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times.
"Let us not forget that differing opinions, policy, and political games are inferior to love. Our personal, structural, and life commitment - until death - is at serious risk. Political concepts are simple when compared to us, human beings.
"We are all humans, fundamentally, instinctively, we want to help one another. American politics are only one vehicle that can uplift our communities. Love, compassion, kindness, and empathy are necessities.
"And let us remember that when the time comes to look beyond the left and the right, beyond the red and the blue, we all come from families with the passion to fight for a better life together, while we are here, in this earthly realm."
"Dawn is here again. Let us reunite. Now.
"This morning ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the single-minded ideas that ignite violence. We want a world where respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends. We can realize this world again. Each of us must demand to get it back. We must insist that respect fills the cornerstone of our relationships, again.
"I am thinking of you, my fellow Americans.
"The winds of change have arrived. For those of you who cry in support, I thank you. I commend those of you who have reached out beyond the political divide - thank you for remembering that every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family."