David McCormick, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania and a veteran of the Iraq War, was in the front row of Trump's rally in Butler when chaos ensued. He called into Fox News Channel to share what he witnessed first-hand as the "very scary moment" now formally being investigated as an "attempted assassination" unfolded.
"At least some of the shots — I was sitting to President Trump's right as he was facing the crowd and I was in the front row — it felt like some of the shots came from his left side which would make sense because someone behind me was hit," McCormick explained.
The Trump campaign has since said that the former president is "fine" and being "checked out" at a local medical facility.
"It felt like at least some came from that side of the crowd," the Republican candidate continued on Fox News Channel. "I'm not an expert on this, but it sounded like a small-caliber weapon of some sort," McCormick shared of what he heard of the rapid "succession of the shots."
"Clearly, this was — from my vantage point, someone who was there — it seemed very much an attack directed at the president and a very scary moment," McCormick said. When asked whether Donald Trump was "lucky to be alive" following the ordeal, he said, "Yeah, absolutely I think so."
Bill Hemmer asks GOP nominee for #PASen Dave McCormick who was sitting behind Trump if the former president is lucky to be alive right now:
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) July 13, 2024
"Yeah, absolutely I think so." pic.twitter.com/EbX4DwdMFo
"Again, the facts will come out," McCormick said. "But it felt to me like he's very lucky to be alive — and I hope others who were injured will survive this."
Townhall’s @KatiePavlich: “I had a phone call with former Ambassador Kip Tom who was in the front row at the rally…and the first thing he said to me was ‘I never thought this would happen again.’”
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 13, 2024
He added that “the president was lucky to be alive.” pic.twitter.com/vD4jkmijh7
According to the latest updates from authorities on Saturday, the assailant is dead and one person attending the rally was tragically killed in the attack.
As the AP reported:
The shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.
[...]
Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said in a phone interview that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.
This is a developing story and may be updated.