Donald Trump wounded in assassination attempt

By Christopher Wells

US presidential candidate Donald Trump raised his fist in defiance as blood poured down his face after an assassination attempt at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“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,” the former president later wrote on his social media site.

The presumed attacker was immediately shot and killed by secret service agents.

One spectator was killed in the attack, and two others were wounded. Trump was rushed to a local hospital with a bullet wound to his right ear and was later flown to New Jersey.

Universal condemnation of political violence

The attempted assassination was met with universal condemnation. President Joe Biden, Trump’s opponent in the upcoming election, spoke with his rival after the attack, and later wrote on social media site X, “I’m grateful to hear that [Trump is] safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.”

He added, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Bishops condemn political violence

In a statement issued in the wake of the attack, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, said, “Together with my brother bishops, we condemn political violence, and we offer our prayers for President Trump, and those who were killed or injured. We also pray for our country and for an end to political violence, which is never a solution to political disagreements.”

Archbishop Broglio invited “all people of goodwill to join us in praying for peace in our country,” and invoked the prayers of Mary, Mother of God and Patroness of the Americas.

Bishop Zubik calls for prayers

The Bishop of Pittsburgh, David Zubik, whose diocese includes the town of Butler, expressed deep shock at news of the shooting, which occurred "right across the street from one of our churches." 

He invited prayers "for the health and safety of all, for healing and peace, and for an end to this climate of violence in our world."

Holy See expresses concern

In a statement issued late Sunday morning, the Holy See expressed its "concern about last night's episode of violence, which wounds people and democracy, causing suffering and death."

The statement went on to say that the Holy See is "united in the prayer of the US bishops for America, for the victims, and for peace in the country, that the motives of the violent may never prevail."

Updated Sunday 14 July, 13:55.