UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED
ONE THING DONALD TRUMP JR DID SAY TO ME WHIT
WE WERE ON THE PHONE IS
THAT
HIS FATHER MADE A REMARK IT WAS A LOT OF
BLOOD
BUT AGAIN
NOT SOMETHING
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING
OF THE CONVERSATION
I HAD WITH THE PRESIDENT'S
SON NOT
SOMETHING THAT
WAS HEIGHTENED
ALONG
IF YOU
WE REPORTED A STATEMENT
FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
THAT HE WAS QUOTE FINE BUT I
HAD THE CONVERSATION
WITH HIM
THAT THINGS SEEMED TO BE OKAY
REMAINING UNDER OBSERVATION
N
NEVER THE LES THE FORMER PRESIDENT OKAY AND
IN GOOD SPIRITS
WE ARE JUST COMING UP AT THE TOP OF THE
HOUR IT IS 8 00 P M IN THE EAST
5 00 P M IN THE WEST IF YOU'RE JUST
JOINING US NOW
AS IF CAMPAIGN COULDN'T GET MORE HISTORIC AND UNPRECEDENTED
WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE NOW INVESTIGATING
AS A POSSIBLE
ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT
OF FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP
THIS WAS A MAJOR CAMPAIGN EVENT DONALD TRUMP WAS HOSTING
BEFORE THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
WAS SET TO TAKE PLACE IN MILWAUKEE THIS WEEK
THEN
YOU SAW THE
FORMER PRESIDENT
DUCKING DOWN DIVING BEHIND THE PODIUM
AND THEN SECRET SERVICE RUSHING TOWARDS THE FORMER PRESIDENT JUMPING
ON HIM AND FORMING SORT OF A HUMAN SHIELD
AS OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENTS JUMP ON STAGE YOU SEE THEM
WITH TACTICAL GEAR LOOKING INTO THE CROWD
THEN THESE REMARKABLE IMAGES COMES IN THE FORMER WITH THE
WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE BLOOD DRIPPING FROM HIS RIGHT
HERE BEING ESCORTED OFF THE STAGE
THERE'S ALSO A MOMENT
WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT PUMPING HIS FIST
AS THE CROWD STARTED CHEERING WHEN THEY SAW HE WAS
OKAY
THE PRESIDENT THEN ESCORTED
INTO TH HIS MOTORCADE
REPORTS
FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
AND FAMILY TELLING US THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS DOING
THE D A IN BUTLER COUNTY THERE PENNSYLVANIA
TELLING ABC NEW THAT IS
THE SHOOTER IS DEAD
ALSO TELLING US THAT AT LEAST ONE BYSTANDER
WAS KILLED AND PERHAPS ANOTHER
WITNESSES
TALKING ABOUT BLOOD IN THE STANDS BEHIND FORMER PRESIDENT
AND PEOPLE BEING CARRIED AWAY
IT'S UNCLEAR
EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED
WE'RE STILL WAITING ON MULTIPLE SOURCES FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
TELL US WHETHER THE THREAT IS OVER
THAT'S UNCLEAR
BUT AGAIN THE SOURCE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GETTING NOW IS
THAT
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS TREATING THIS AS A POTENTIAL
ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT
AGAINST THE FORMER PRESIDENT
UNTIL THEY GET INFORMATION
THAT
IT WASN'T BACK TO RACHEL SCOTT WHO'S OUR SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
ALSO HAS BEEN COVERING THE CAMPAIGN FOR US RACHEL WAS
INSIDE THE ARENA
DURING THIS EVENT AND WHILE WE WERE ON THE AIR
FOR WORLD NEWS AND IT WAS MINUTES LATER
WHEN SHE HEARD THOSE SHOTS RING OUT
YOU'VE NOW BEEN ESCORTED
OUTSIDE
YOU'VE BEEN WITH US THE ENTIRE EVENING
WHAT ARE SOURCES TELLING YOU
NOW Reporter
THIS IS THE SCENE THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WE ARE
ESCORTED OUTSIDE
OF THE TRUMP RALLY WE ARE STILL NOT FAR FROM
WHERE THOSE SHOTS RANG OUT INSIDE I WANT TO SHOW
YOU RIGHT HERE THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH CONVERSATION
ABOUT THE SECURITY THESE WHITE TENTS RIGHT HERE
THIS IS WHERE SUPPORTERS WERE SCREENED BY SECRET SERVICE
YOU GO THROUGH METAL DETECTOR YOUR BAGS ARE THEN SEARCHED
THERE ARE CERTAIN ITEMS LIKE LARGE BAGS THAT ARE PROHIBITED
THEN
YOU ARE SCREENED AND GO INSIDE
OFF INTO THE DISTANCE THIS IS THIS AREA THAT'S AN
ACTIVE CRIME SCENE WE WERE INSIDE
THE MOMENT THIS HAPPENED WE WERE ON AIR WITH YOU
LIVE WHIT FOR WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
THEN THE FORMER PRESIDENT TOOK THE STAGE WITHIN SEVERAL
MINUTES
WE HEARD
THESE POPPING NOISES ONE RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER AFTER ANOTHER AFTER
ANOTHER
AND THEN THERE WERE THOSE SCREAMS
WE HEARD
SCREAMS FROM THE CROWD PEOPLE YELLING PEOPLE SHOUTING TO GET
DOWN PEOPLE SHOUTING GUNFIRE
GUNFIRE
COVER
WE
ALONG WITH OTHER TRUMP SUPPORTERS THEN DUCKED FOR COVER
WE
TOOK OFF
GOING BELOW THE RISER COVERED OURSELVES
OUR HEADS WE WATCHED AS TRUMP SUPPORTERS
TILTED OUT OF THEIR CHAIR COVERED THEMSELVES AS WELL SHIELDED
THEMSELVES
ONE SUPPORTER
TELLING ME ALL SHE COULD DO WAS
PRAY HOPING THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY
THOSE SCREAM WENT ON
WHAT FELT LIKE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES I KNOW IT WAS
ON LLY A MATTER O SECONDS BUT
JUST ENCAPSULATES
THE TERROR
PEOPLE WERE FEELING
ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON INITIALLY
WE DID HEAR SHOT OF GUNFIRE AND GET DOWN BUT
DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE
THEN WITHIN JUST
A FEW MOMENTS AFTER THAT WE SAW THAT IMAGE
AND WE WERE THERE
THE FORMER PRESIDENT
HE THEN ROSE UP WE SAW HIM PUT HIS FIST
IN THE AIR
THE CROWD
CHEERED
THEY WERE RELIEVED TO SEE THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS OKAY
HE WAS THEN ESCORTED
INTO
HIS VEHICLE AND TAKEN AWAY
OUR EYES
WENT
TO THE BLEACHERS
DURING THESE RALLIES THE FORMER PRESIDENT LOVES A CROWD HE
HAS SUPPORTERS ALL AROUND HIM HE WANTS THINGS TO FEEL
AS INTIMATE AS POSSIBLE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND
HUNDRED OF PEOPLE THERE
WHAT WE THEN NOTICED WERE SECRET SERVICE AGENTS AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS
SWARMING
WHAT APPEARED TO BE
ONE OR TWO INDIVIDUALS LAW ENFORCEMENT FIROFFICIALS WE TELLING EVERYONE
TO STAY DOWN I NOTICED THERE WAS BLOOD ON THE
BLEACHERS
ON THAT
AREA
THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE PEOPLE STARTED TO
CLEAR OUT OF THAT AREA WE SAW LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS
COME OUT
WITH CRIME TAPE THEY STARTED TAPING OFF THE AREA WE
CONTINUE TO BE LIVE WITH YOU ON THE AIR REPORTING
WHAT WE SAW AND WHAT WE WERE LEARNING IN THE
MOMENT
THEN WE SAW TRUMP SUPPORTERS START TO FILE OUT ONE
BY
THIS AREA
STARTED BECOMING A GATHERING
PLACE
FOR A LOT OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS A PLACE THEY WERE
CALLING THEIR FAMILIES LETTING THEM KNOW THEY
WERE OKAY
AND I WANT TO BRING IN RIGHT NOW
ONE PERSON WHO WAS INSIDE OF THIS RALLY SIR
YOU WERE INSIDE
WHERE WERE YOU SEATED AND WHAT DID YOU HEAR
WE WERE
SEATED RIGHT IN THE FRONT THERE LITTLE BIT TO THE
LEFT
ABOUT
SIX SEVEN ROWS BACK
AND WE WERE JUST STANDING UP LISTENING
TO TRUMP TALK THERE
AND
WE JUST HEARD LIKE A BULLET YOU SAW
HIM
SWIPE HIS EAR THERE THEN THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW
YOU HEARD OTHER BULLETS HE FELL
PROBABLY LIKE THREE MORE
SHOTS
THEN YOU JUST SEEN THE CROWD
LOOK OVER AT THE BLEACHERS THERE YOU KNOW
THEN
IT JUST GOT
CRAZY THERE I MEAN IT WAS SO SCARY YOU KNOW
I FELT FOR ALL THE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS
THERE
WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT GOT HURT AND
WE'RE
JUST PRAYING FOR THEM MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL RIGHT AND
THAT YOU KNOW
AND
PRAY FOR TRUMP Reporter WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION
WHEN YOU HEARD THOSE POPPING SOUNDS WE WERE INSIDE
AS WELL SOUNDED LIKE FIRE CRACKERS BOOM BOOM
THEN
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A SHOOTER
ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PERIMETER
AND HE MUST HAVE BEEN SHOOTING INSIDE
AND HIT SOME INNOCENT BYSTANDERS
THERE WAS A
BIG CRANE THERE WITH SPEAKERS
AND THERE WAS A LINE THERE AND
THE BULLET GOT HIT
LINE GOT HIT YOU CAN SEE ALL THE
FLUID
GO OUT OF THE HYDRAULIC
LINE
Reporter WE KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY UNCONFIRMED REPORTS LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS STILL WORKING THIS IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION
HOW ARE
YOU FEELING
STANDING HERE RIGHT NOW THIS HAS BEEN A VERY CHAOTIC
24 HOURS WE'RE LIVING
IN A SCARY TIME THIS
WORLD
WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE POLICE TO
PATROL EVERYTHING AND
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT WITH TRUMP COMING IN HERE
YOU KNOW
EVERYONE SHOULD GET OUT THERE AND VOTE FOR HIM Reporter
YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU SAW THE FORMER PRESIDENT
AFTER HE WAS SHIELDED BY SECRET SERVICE AGENTS
HE RAISED HIS FISTS I HEARD THE CROWD CHEERING
HE WAS LOOKING FOR HIS SHOOTERS
HE WAS LIKE WHERE MY SHOOTERS
HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT
HE'S STRONG
HE'LL COME BACK AND
BE READY FOR NOVEMBER
Reporter THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME
I'VE BEEN TO ALMOST EVERY
CAMPAIGN
AGO
RECEIVING TREATMENT
BUT THAT HE WAS DOING FINE
AGAIN WE EMPHASIZE NO LIFE THREATENING
INJURY TO THE PRESIDENT
BUT AGAIN AS OF A FEW MINUTES AGO THE PRESIDENT
WAS STILL AT A MEDICAL FACILITY
RECEIVING TREATMENT
THE
FBI IS ALSO NOW GOING TO ENGAGE IN THIS INVESTIGATION
EVERY EFFORT WILL BE PUT ON
IDENTIFYING
UNDERSTANDING
WHO THE SHOOTER WAS
UH THIS ATTEMPTED
SHOOTER WAS
FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THAT PERSON'S BACKGROUND
TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS CONFINED TO A SINGLE
INDIVIDUAL
WE JUST DON'T KNOW YET
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAIN
CONVERGING
NOW TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
SO THAT SECURITY CAN BE SURGED
FOR THE UPCOMING CONVENTIONS
ALSO WE ARE GETTING INFORMATION THAT
LAW ENFORCEMENT
WILL BE BRIEFED LATER IN IN THE EVENING ABOUT WHAT
TOOK PLACE HERE BUT WHIT
AGAIN
YOU HAVE A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WHO
IS THE LEADING CANDIDATE
SOON TO BE
NOMINATED
BY HIS HIS PARTY AS THE
THEIR THEIR CANDIDATE
SOMEONE ATTEMPTING TO APPARENTLY KILL HIM THAT IS THE FEELING
UNTIL THEY CAN PROVE THAT IT'S NOT THE CASE THAT
IS HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IS OPERATING
IN THIS MOMENT
PIERRE THOMAS FOR US THANK YOU SO MUCH I DO
WANT TO NOTE WE ARE AWAITING
WORD FROM PRESIDENT
BIDEN THERE IS A PODIUM THAT HAS BEEN SET UP
THERE THAT IS REHOBOTH BEACH DELAWARE
THAT'S WHERE PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS SPENDING THE WEEKEND WE'RE TOLD
THAT WE'RE ABOUT TWO MINUTES OUT
FROM THE PRESIDENT SPEAKING TONIGHT OF COURSE HE SENT OUT
THAT STATEMENT EARLIER
AND WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN BRIEFED BY
HIS STAFF AND BY THE SECRET SERVICE
WE'RE ALSO LEARNING THAT THERE IS HEIGHTENED ALERT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WE'RE GETTING REPORTABLE INFORMATION
FROM OUR SOURCES HERE IN NEW YORK CITY SAYING THAT
FOLLOWING THIS POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT SECURITY IS BEING INCREASED
ACROSS NEW YORK CITY
THEY SAY OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION THE NYPD
IS INCREASING ITS PRESENCE
ACROSS THE CITY INCLUDING AT TRUMP TOWER
40 WALL STREET
FOLEY SQUARE AND CITY HALL
NO SPECIFIC THREAT THOUGH IN CONNECTION TO NEW YORK AT
THIS TIME HERE COMES PRESIDENT
BIDEN LET'S LISTEN ALL THE AGENCIES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS THE SITUATION
BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW NOW
I HAVE TRIED TO GET A HOLD OF DONALD
HE'S WITH HIS DOCTORS
THEY APPARENTLY
HE'S DOING WELL
I PLAN ON TALKING TO HIM SHORTLY
I HOPE
WHEN I GET BACK TO THE TELEPHONE
LOOK
THERE'S NO PLACE IN AMERICA FOR THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE
IT'S SIC
IT'S SICK
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE TO UNITE
THIS COUNTRY
WE CANNOT
ALLOW FOR THIS TO BE HAPPENING WE CANNOT
BE LIKE THIS WE CANNOT CONDONE THIS
AND SO
I WANT TO THANK THE SECRET SERVICE AND ALL THE
AGENCIES INCLUDING THE STATE AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED
IN MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE
AND WE HAVE MORE DETAIL TO COME
RELATIVE TO OTHER INJURED OTHER PEOPLE MAY BE INJURED IN
THE AUDIENCE
I DON'T HAVE ALL THAT DETAIL WE'LL MAKE THAT AVAILABLE
TO YOU
I MAY BE ABLE TO COME BACK
A LITTLE LATER TONIGHT BUT WE'LL PUT OUT A STATEMENT
IF WE DON'T
IF I'M NOT ABLE TO GIVE IF IT'S NOT CONVENIENT
FOR YOU ALL BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS
THAT THE TRUMP RALLY WAS A RALLY THAT HE SHOULD
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE CONDUCTED PEACEFULLY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM
BUT THE IDEA
THE IDEA
THAT THERE'S POLITICAL VIOLENCE OR VIOLENCE IN AMERICA LIKE THIS
IS JUST UNHEARD OF IT'S JUST NOT APPROPRIATE
AND WE EVERYBODY
EVERYBODY MUST CONDEMN IT EVERYBODY
I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED AND IF I AM ABLE TO
SPEAK TO THE TO DONALD I'LL
LET YOU KNOW THAT AS WELL
BUT SO FAR IT APPEARS
HE'S DOING WELL
NUMBER ONE
NUMBER TWO
THAT THERE'S THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATING
WHAT HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE I HAVE
WE HAVE
SOME REPORTS BUT NOT FINAL REPORTS
AND EVERY AGENCY IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND I'M GOING
BACK
TO MY PHONE TO SPEAK WITH
THE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT ARE BEING PUT TOGETHER AGAIN TO
GIVE ME AN UPDATED BRIEFING AS ANYTHING HAPPENED
THEY LEARNED MORE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE I GET TO
SPEAK TO HIM TONIGHT
AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU IF I DO OKAY
IT WAS
AN
ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT
I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO I HAVE
AN OPINION BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY FACTS
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE
FACTS BEFORE I MAKE SOME COMMENT ANY MORE COMMENTS THANK
YOU ARE YOU WORRIED
WHAT WAS THE SECURITY FAILIN MR PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT BIDEN WITH THAT SHORT STATEMENT THERE AGAIN HE'S IN
REHOBOTH DELAWARE
FOR THE WEEKEND BUT
RELEASED A STATEMENT EARLIER TONIGHT
BUT COMING OUT BEFORE THE CAMERAS RIGHT NOW ON THE
MICROPHONE
SAYING THAT THERE IS NO PLACE IN AMERICA FOR THIS
KIND OF VIOLENCE IT'S SICK IT'S SICK
AND ON THAT POLITICAL VIOLENCE YOU SAID EVERYONE
MUST CONDEMN IT
PRESIDENT
BIDEN ALSO SAID THAT HE MADE A FEW ATTEMPTS TO
TRY TO REACH
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO BUT
SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK
WITH HIM AT SOME POINT WHEN HE'S ABLE
BUT AGAIN PRESIDENT BIDEN REITERATING
WHAT WE'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN THE CALLS
FOR CALM
FOR
PEOPLE TO CONDEMN
THE VIOLENCE ALTHOUGH WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
OTHER THAN A FEW REPORTS
ABOUT
A SHOOTER
WHO'S BEEN KILLED AND A POSSIBLE BYSTANDER
AND THE SHOTS FIRED
SO AGAIN ALL OF THIS SORT OF PLAYING OUT THIS
EVENING IN REAL TIME AS WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION
AND THESE TRULY REMARKABLE IMAGES
THAT WE SAW ON THE SCREEN AS THEY PLAYED OUT
WE WERE ON WORLD NEWS TONIGHT RIGHT HERE
ON
ABC AS THE TRUMP RALLY IN BUTLER PENNSYLVANIA
GOT UNDERWAY
AND IT STARTED
IN HIGH SPIRITS AS MANY PEOPLE WERE ANTICIPATING
AND AWAITING
HIS PICK FOR
A POSSIBLE RUNNING MATE THAT WAS EXPECTED IN THE NEXT
48 HOURS SO ALL EYES WERE ON THIS EVENT TO
SEE IF TRUMP WOULD HINT
TO WHO THAT PERSON MIGHT BE
AND IT WAS A MATTER OF MINUTES LATER
WHEN WE HEARD THOSE POPPING SOUNDS AND WE WENT BACK
TO RACHEL SCOTT WHO TOLD US WHAT HAPPENED AS IT
OCCURRED YOU SEE THE SECRET SERVICE THERE SURROUNDING
THE FORMER PRESIDENT
FORMING A HUMAN SHIELD AROUND HIM THEM ESCORTING HIM OFF
THE STAGE AND AS THE CROWD STARTED TO REALIZE THAT
TRUMP WAS OKAY THERE WERE CHEERS
AND HE PUMPED HIS FIST IN RESPONSE BEFORE HE WAS
LED AWAY
AGAIN WE'RE TOLD THAT HE WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY
MEDICAL CENTER THAT HE RECEIVED TREATMENT BUT THAT HE IS
DOING OKAY THAT HE IS FINE
HIS FAMILY AND A STATEMENT CALLING IT A HEINOUS ACT
WHAT IS PLAYED OUT BUT THE DETAILS
ARE STILL
FAR AND FEW
WE ONLY KNOW THE VERY LITTLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO GET FROM WITNESSES
AND FROM THE SECRET SERVICE
WE'VE GOT OUR ENTIRE TEAM ON THIS JON KARL OUR
CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
IS IN MILWAUKEE
BECAUSE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SCENE
OF THE WEEK'S
MAJOR NEWS IN THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
AND INSTEAD JOHN EVERYTHING
IS ABOUT TO CHANGE
AFTER THIS INCIDENT
THIS THING HAS SENT SHOCKWAVES
SHOCKWAVES
THROUGHOUT THE POLITICAL WORLD
I WAS ON THE FLOOR OF THE CONVENTION
SPEAKING WITH THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY CHAIRMAN MICHAEL WHATLEY
WHEN THIS NEWS BROKE
SAW HIM
WHISKED AWAY BY AN AIDE ON THE PHONE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING
AND
OBVIOUSLY
SHOCK WAVES NOT JUST HERE IN MILWAUKEE WHERE THE POLITICAL
WORLD
AT LEAST THE REPUBLICAN
PART OF THE POLITICAL WORLD
IS GATHERING FOR THIS CONVENTION THAT IS SET TO KICK
OFF OFFICIALLY
AT 2 00 ON ON MONDAY
BUT ALSO OVER ON THE DEMOCRATIC
SIDE WE ARE TOLD
WIT
THAT THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN
HAS
PAUSED ALL
OUTBOUND
COMMUNICATIONS
AND THEY'RE WORKING
TO PULL DOWN ALL OF THEIR POLITICAL
ADS EFFECTIVELY
PUTTING THIS
INTENSELY
FOUGHT
HEAVILY FUNDED
VERY NEGATIVE
PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN
AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT ON HOLD
IN THE WAKE OF THIS INCIDENT AND YOU HEARD
YOU KNOW PRESIDENT
BIDEN CONDEMN WHAT HAPPENED I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO
HEAR HIM
REFER
A COUPLE OF TIMES
TO PRESIDENT TRUMP SOMEBODY HE HAS CLASHED WITH AS MIGHTILY
AS ANY TWO POLITICAL FIGURES
IN OUR HISTORY HAVE CLASHED
CALLING HIM DONALD AND SAYING HE TRIED TO GET A
HOLD OF DONALD
AND HE HOPES TO HOPES TO SPEAK TO HIM
IN SAYING THAT WE ALL HAVE TO CONDEMN WHAT HAPPENS
AND THAT IS
WHAT IS HAPPENING WHAT WE ARE SEEING
STATEMENTS
FROM POLITICAL LEADERS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM
NOT JUST CONDEMNING
WHAT IS AN APPARENT OR BEING INVESTIGATED
AS AN APPARENT
POLITICAL ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT
BUT CALLING FOR CALM
AND SAYING
THAT POLITICAL VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND CERTAINLY NOT LIKE THIS
HAS NO
PLACE
IN AMERICAN
POLITICS
ONE OF THOSE BRIEFED
ON THIS AND PUTTING OUT A STATEMENT
IS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THIRD IN LINE OF
PRESIDENTIAL
SUCCESSION
MIKE JOHNSON
WHO SAYS HE'S BEEN BRIEFED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND SAYS THIS HORRIFIC ACT OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE AT A
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN RALLY HAS NO PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY
AND SHOULD BE UNANIMOUSLY
AND FORCEFULLY
CONDEMNED
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING
WE'RE HEARING FROM
FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA
FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON OBVIOUSLY YOU JUST HEARD FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN
AND I THINK QUITE
MOVINGLY FROM
A FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN
NAMED GABBY GIFFORDS WHO HERSELF
WAS SEVERELY
WOUNDED IN
POLITICAL VIOLENCE AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT OF HERS
IN ARIZONA
GABBY GIFFORDS PUTTING OUT A STATEMENT SAYING
POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS TERRIFYING
I KNOW
I'M HOLDING
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY TODAY'S INDEFENSIBLE
ACT OF VIOLENCE IN MY HEART
POLITICAL VIOLENCE IS UN AMERICAN
AND NEVER ACCEPTABL
NEVER
A VIEW
THAT IS BEING UNIFORMLY
EXPRESSED
ACROSS
THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM AND OBVIOUSLY
BEYOND THE POLITICAL WORLD WITH AND OBVIOUSLY JOHN SOMETHING WE
ALSO HEARD FROM THE WITNESSES
WHO WERE THERE TONIGHT AND WITNESS
THIS CHAOS AND THE BLOODSHED
ASKING ASKING FOR PRAYERS NOT ONLY FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP
BUT FOR THE BYSTANDERS
OR AT LEAST ONE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED IN
THIS INCIDENT
JOHN THANK YOU STAND BY WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU
AS THE DEVELOPMENTS
PERSIST THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT BUT I WANT TO GO BACK
TO MARY BRUCE
AT THE WHITE HOUSE MARY JUST GETTING SOME MORE INFORMATION
BEFORE I COME TO YOU BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO TOLD NOW
THAT
FBI PERSONNEL
ARE ON THE SCENE IN BUTLER PENNSYLVANIA
THE FBI WILL WORK JOINTLY WITH THE US SECRET SERVICE
AS THE INVESTIGATION
MOVES FORWARD
AND MARY I JUST WANTED TO PICK UP WITH YOU
ON SOMETHING THAT THAT JOHN NOTED TOO ABOUT
BIDEN
REACHING OUT TRYING TO SPEAK WITH
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP THESE ARE TWO MEN WHO DO
NOT SPEAK TO EACH OTHER I MEAN THEY HARDLY EVEN
ACKNOWLEDGE EACH OTHER AND THAT DEBATE A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO
SO THE PRESIDENT TRYING TO REACH OUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT
TRYING TO TRYING TO AT LEAST YOU KNOW
GIVE AS MUCH OF A PERCEPTION OF UNITY
IN THIS MOMENT OF TRAGEDY
IN AMERICA
YEAH AND YOU HEARD WHAT THE PRESIDENT THERE ESSENTIALLY ARGUING
THAT NOW IS NOT A TIME FOR POLITICS
THAT THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE THE COUNTRY
HAS TO UNITE YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT SAYING THERE IS
NO PLACE
IN AMERICA FOR THIS TYPE OF VIOLENCE AND AS JOHN
NOTED YES IT IS
CERTAINLY UNUSUAL TO HEAR PRESIDENT
BIDEN REFER TO DONALD TRUMP BY HIS FIRST NAME
AND YES WE KNOW THAT HE TRIED TO REACH OUT
TO HIM WE DON'T KNOW WHY HE WASN'T ABLE TO
GET AHOLD OF HIM BUT THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE'S GOING
TO CONTINUE
TO TRY
AND THIS
YOU CAN'T UNDERSTATE
HOW MUCH IT HAS COMPLETELY
AND TOTALLY UPENDED
THIS CAMPAIGN
THIS RACE THIS MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN IN AMERICA
WE WERE JUST DAYS AWAY
FROM THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
WE HAVE SEEN OF COURSE
A RATCHETING
UP OF DIVISIVE RHETORIC IN THIS COUNTRY
WE WERE AT A POINT WHERE YOU WERE HEARING
YOU KNOW AS JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN FACING A LOT
OF YOU KNOW DOUBTS FROM THOSE WITHIN HIS PARTY ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF HIS OWN CANDIDACY IN THIS RACE HE
HAS BEEN URGED BY OTHERS TO TAKE THE FIGHT
TO DONALD TRUMP MORE FORCEFULLY TO OUTLINE MORE FORCEFULLY THE
CASE IN THIS RACE ALL OF THAT NOW COMING TO
A HALT THE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCING THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO
PULL DOWN THEY ARE GOING TO BE PULLING DOWN THEIR
ADS OFF OF THE AIRWAVES
THAT THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE INSTEAD
OF RAMPING UP YOU ARE HAVING THE CAMPAIGNS HIT THE
PAUSE BUTTON COMPLETELY
NOW WHAT WILL THAT MEAN HOW WILL THAT CHANGE THIS
RACE WILL IT CHANGE THE WAY THE TWO PARTIES TALK
ABOUT EACH OTHER GOING FORWARD WILL IT ACTUALLY BRING THE
COUNTRY TOGETHER
ALL HUGE QUESTIONS
AND THINGS THAT REMAIN TO BE SEEN IN THE COMING
DAYS AND JUST ONE MORE THING WHICH I DO THINK
IT WAS INTERESTING THE PRESIDENT THERE WAS ASKED IF HE
THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT HE SAID I HAVE AN OPINION
BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY FACTS
ECHOING
WHAT I THINK MANY AMERICANS ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW ABSOLUTELY
MARY BRUCE THANK YOU SO MUCH I DO WANT TO
BRING IN DISTRICT ATTORNEY RICHARD
GOLDINGER FROM BUTLER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA
RICHARD THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME WE APPRECIATE
IT
WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN REPORTING THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU GAVE
TO SOME OF OUR TEAM HERE AT ABC NEWS
ABOUT THE SHOOTER BEING DEAD
AND AT LEAST ONE BYSTANDER
POSSIBLY
A SECOND ALSO KILLED
WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS INCIDENT
WELL I'M
SORRY TO BE TALKING TO YOU UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES
BUT
YEAH I CAN CONFIRM THAT THE SHOOTER IS DEAD
AND WE HAVE ONE SPECTATOR
WHO DID
PASS AWAY
AS
A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT
THE SECOND
INDIVIDUAL
THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCENE
IS IN WHAT I WOULD SAY SERIOUS CONDITION
I DON'T KNOW
THEIR CONDITION AT THIS POINT BUT
WE DO HAVE AT LEAST TWO SPECTATORS
THAT
SUSTAINED INJURIES
OR YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST ONE PASSED AWAY
FROM FROM THE SHOOTER
AND FORGIVE ME JUST TO CONFIRM
SO THE SHOOTER IS DEAD YOU NOTED THAT
BUT EARLIER WE REPORTED POSSIBLY
TWO
SPECTATORS
WERE KILLED SO NOW YOU'RE SAYING JUST TO CLARIFY
ONE WAS SHOT AND KILLED
ANOTHER ONE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES
THEIR CONDITION AT THIS POINT
UNKNOWN
THAT IS THAT IS CORRECT
YES
DO WE KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THIS SHOOTER
AT THIS POINT NO
IS IT A MAN I MEAN ABOUT I DON'T EVEN
KNOW IF IT'S MALE OR FEMALE TO BE HONEST WITH
YOU SO
OKAY SO WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS MALE OR
FEMALE WAS WAS THE SHOOTER
IS IT BELIEVED THAT THE SHOOTER WAS ACTUALLY IN THE
VENUE
OR FIRED THE SHOTS FROM OUTSIDE
I CAN'T CONFIRM THE SHOOTER WAS NOT WITHIN THE VENUE
THE SHOOTER WAS ON A
THE ROOF OF A BUILDING THAT WAS ADJACENT
TO THE VENUE
AND
SO THEY
WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE SECURITY PROCESS
OF ENTERING THE THE RALLY
AND YOU KNOW BE SUBJECT TO THE SEARCH AND EVERYTHING
FORGIVE ME I WAS JUST GETTING SOME INFORMATION IN MY
EAR AS YOU WERE SPEAKING SO SO THE SHOOTER
NOT IN THE VENUE ON THE ROOF ADJACENT
TO THE VENUE
SO IS IT BELIEVED THEN THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER
SHOTS THAT WE HEARD WITNESSES DESCRIBE THAT THAT WAS LAW
ENFORCEMENT RETURNING FIRE WAS IT LAW ENFORCEMENT
WHO TOOK THE SHOOTER OUT
THAT I CAN'T CONFIRM
THAT'S A THAT'S A YES
NO I CAN'T CONFIRM THAT OKAY SO IT'S OKAY IT'S
NOT CLEAR HOW THE SHOOTER
DIED
CORRECT
AT THIS POINT WE DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW HOW
ABOUT THAT I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT FAIR ENOUGH
I UNDERSTAND AND FORGIVE ME I KNOW IT'S A FLUID
SITUATION
AND INFORMATION
IS COMING IN PIECE BY PIECE EXTREMELY
YES YOU KNOW RICHARD JUST JUST YOUR TAKE IN GENERAL
THIS IS THIS IS OBVIOUSLY
A TRAGIC MOMENT IN THIS COUNTRY
I MEAN NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THIS ACT OF
POLITICAL VIOLENCE WE HAVE WE HAVE BYSTANDERS
PEOPLE OUT THERE JUST EXERCISING
THEIR RIGHT TO SUPPORT A CANDIDATE
POTENTIALLY SHOT AND KILLED
WHAT ARE YOU FEELING AT THIS TIME
WELL I MEAN IT'S TERRIBLE
I MEAN
FIRST OF ALL I'M EMBARRASSED FOR MY COMMUNITY
THAT THIS HAPPENED HERE
I'M I
AM DISGUSTED
AND
SAD THAT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY LOST THEIR LIFE AS A RESULT
OF THIS
AND
YOU KNOW I MEAN
UNFORTUNATELY
IT APPEARS TO BE
JUST
ALMOST
I DON'T WANT TO SAY A MICROCOSM
BUT
THE STATE OF OUR OUR COUNTRY
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AND HOW DIVIDED WE ARE
AND SOMEBODY WOULD
RESORT TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS
TO
WELL I DON'T KNOW THE MOTIVES BUT POTENTIALLY
AFFECT A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION
AND IT'S JUST
IT'S REALLY SAD I MEAN
WE NEED TO I AGREE WITH PRESIDENT
BIDEN WE NEED TO
WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER WE NEED TO UNITE
BECAUSE OF THIS
AND I HOPE THAT MAYBE
YOU KNOW
SOMETHING BAD LIKE THIS HAPPENING
GOOD CAN COME OF IT
AFTER THE FACT
YES LET'S ALL HOPE THAT THAT COULD BE THE CASE
AND PERHAPS
THIS COUNTRY COULD
HAVE A MOMENT OF UNITY AND WHAT HAS BEEN A
VERY DIVISIVE TIME
AND ONLY GETTING PAINFUL
BY THE MINUTE HERE AS WE GET MORE DETAILS ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED
I DO WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE BYSTANDERS
DO WE KNOW ANY INFORMATION
ABOUT THEM
WHERE THEY WERE SEATED
DURING THIS EVENT
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION
AT THIS POINT I'M
GOING TO GUESS
THAT
THEY WERE PROBABLY SEATED BEHIND
PRESIDENT TRUMP
YOU KNOW BASED ON
THE WHOLE THING BUT I
DON'T KNOW I SHOULDN'T EVEN SPECULATE
UNDERSTOOD
AGAIN RICHARD
GOLDINGER WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME
THIS EVENING AND WE'RE WISHING THE VERY BEST OUR HEARTS
GO OUT TO YOU
AND YOUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY
AS YOU TRY TO BUILD BACK FROM THIS TRAGEDY THANK
YOU AGAIN
I WANT TO GO TO
LET'S GO BACK TO MARTHA RADDATZ IN WASHINGTON MARTHA I
KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO NOT ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT
SOURCES POLITICAL SOURCES BUT ALSO
FOLKS IN THE MILITARY
WHO WERE DESCRIBING
WHAT THEY HEARD
WITH THOSE GUNSHOTS WE GOT SOME MORE INFORMATION
FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY THERE
THE SUSPECT
WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED AND WE'RE NOT SURE HOW
WE'RE CAREFUL TO
YOU KNOW TO POINT THAT OUT WAS ON A ROOFTOP
ADJACENT
TO THE VENUE
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU AND WHAT'S THE REACTION YOU'RE
GETTING FROM YOUR SOURCES
WELL IT CERTAINLY WAS A WAYS AWAY
FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THAT IN IN THE BEGINNING WHEN
I STARTED TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH WEAPONS
AND WHO HEARD THAT
GUNFIRE
ON THE TAPE
SAID THEY WERE CERTAIN IT WAS PROBABLY A WAYS AWAY
FROM THE ACTUAL
VENUE OUTSIDE THE SECURITY ZONE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT
THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE TRUE
THERE WERE SEVERAL SHOTS
YOU COULD HEAR AND THEY WERE VERY DISTINCT
AT LEAST 2 OR 3 POSSIBLY
MORE SHOTS AND WE DON'T KNOW YET WHETHER WE WERE
HEARING
NOT JUST THE SHOOTER
BUT THOSE WHO THEN TOOK OUT THE SHOOTER
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS VIDEO AND WE'VE ALL
LOOKED AT IT OVER AND OVER AND YOU SEE
PRESIDENT TRUMP GET UP AND PUT THAT FIST IN THE
AIR WE'VE NOW