Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally after a major security lapse, an attack that will likely reshape this year's US presidential race and fuel long-standing fears that the campaign could descend into political violence.
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In the moments after the shooting, Trump was swarmed and covered up by his security agents. He quickly emerged, his face streaked with blood, and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the "subject involved" in what it termed an attempted assassination.
Leading Republicans and Democrats condemned the violence.
"There's no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it," President Joe Biden said in a statement.
Republican US Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas told Fox News his nephew had been wounded at the rally.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was horrified by what happened and was relieved Trump was safe.
"Political violence has no place in our country," he said.
The shooting raised immediate questions about security failures by the Secret Service, which provides former presidents including Trump with lifetime protection.
Trump supporters blasted the Secret Service with billionaire Elon Musk calling for the agency's leadership to resign.
"How was a sniper with a full rifle kit allowed to bear crawl onto the closest roof to a presidential nominee," asked conservative activist Jack Posobiec on social media site X.
Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media the House will have "Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP."
The Secret Service said shortly after the shooting that it had begun an investigation and briefed President Biden.
Attendee Ben Maser was outside the rally perimeter, listening to Trump, when he noticed two officers seemingly looking for someone. Maser started scanning the area too.
"I saw the guy on the roof. I told the officer that he was up there. He went about looking for him," Maser said.
The attack is certain to lead to a review of Trump's security, and he will likely be provided with a level of protection more akin to a sitting president, said Joseph LaSorsa, a former Secret Service agent who served on the presidential detail.
"There will be an intensive review" of the incident and "there's going to be a massive realignment," LaSorsa said. "This cannot happen."
The Secret Service said in a statement that it had recently added "protective resources and capabilities" to Trump's security detail, without providing further details.
A retired agent who worked in protective services, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident should spark an internal review, and ideally an external one too.
"The gravity of the situation demands thorough scrutiny to prevent such failures in the future and to ensure accountability on all levels," said the former agent.
During most of Trump's campaign stops, local police aid the Secret Service in securing the venue. Agents from other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, such as the Transportation Security Administration, occasionally help.
Many Trump rallies feature thousands of audience members, take place in the open air and last for hours.
Before the event, agents scan for bombs or other threats, and Trump invariably arrives in a fortified motorcade.
Law enforcement officials typically put up barriers as a perimeter, and require all attendees to go through a metal detector to enter the venue. Armed protective agents search all attendees' bags and even wallets. Many rallygoers are patted down by hand.
Paul Eckloff, a former Secret Service agent who retired in 2020, said agents would have surveyed all the rooftops with a line of sight ahead of time.
"This person either concealed themselves until they became a threat, or were not a threat until they revealed their weapons," Eckloff said.
Australian Associated Press
