Former President Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. The attempted assassination left 2 dead and 3 injured, including Trump. Along with the shooter, Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, also lost his life (AP News). The assailant has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks and investigations into his motive(s) headed by the FBI are underway. Thus far, the FBI has interviewed nearly 100 people and conducted searches of Crooks phone, house, and vehicle (FBI).
According to USA Today, “[a]t least 15 assassination attempts or assassinations have occurred in the U.S. since 1835.” Of these attempts, 6 have resulted in the death of either a president or a presidential candidate. As a result of the 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy, Secret Service protections were expanded and now include major presidential candidates and their spouses (U.S. Secret Service). In addition to the Secret Service, “[a]t least a dozen police officers and sheriff’s deputies” were present during the July 13th rally (AP News).
Date of event: July 13, 2024
Impact:
Related Resources:
- Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security [Updated June 3, 2024]
- Preventing Assassination: Secret Service Exceptional Case Study Project
- Assassination in the United States: An Operational Study of Recent Assassins, Attackers, and Near Lethal Approachers
- [July 14, 2024 Letter to Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas]
- Report of the Independent Review Panel on the July 13, 2024 Assassination Attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania
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