Former President Donald Trump has made his first comments since a gunman opened fire at his rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
Video aired live on the cable news networks showed Trump being rushed off the stage as blood dripped down the side of his face.
In a statement posted to his Truth Social account, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee said he “felt the bullet” pierce his skin.
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” Trump wrote on the platform, according to CNN.
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He went on to express gratitude to the Secret Service agents who hustled him to safety.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump added. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”
The former president was speaking on stage about illegal immigration and referring to a chart detailing border crossings when gunfire rang out at 6:10 p.m. ET.
One rally attendee died and two others were critically injured. The three victims were adult men, said Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police. Secret Service agents killed the gunman.
The shooting is being investigated as an attempted assassination, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
Late Saturday, the New York Post published a picture of the mortally wounded gunman on the roof of a building near the stage. The outlet identified the man as a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He appeared to be white, and was dressed in khaki shorts and a grey shirt as heavily armed men stood over his body.
In live reports from the scene, TV news reporters said panic ensued as soon as the first shot rang out.
“Chaotic, intense moments played out here and [there was] just a sense of panic,” said ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott.
She added that there were “screams from people that were hearing these popping sounds,” and many attendees “got down for cover.”
President Joe Biden condemned the shooting.
“The idea that there’s political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of, is just not appropriate,” Biden said in comments broadcast on cable news. “Everybody must condemn it. Everybody.”
Former President Barack Obama added in a statement on social media, “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.”
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