‘I was so scared’: Pennsylvania residents react to Trump rally shooting

BUTLER, Pa. (WTAJ) — Pennsylvania State Police were stationed outside of Butler Memorial Hospital Saturday evening where former President Donald Trump was rushed following a shooting at his rally in Butler earlier in the day.

Suzanne Vincent was attending the rally with her sister, Jean, when they heard the sound of gunfire around them.

“It was so surreal when we heard the sound of the bullets. It just went one, two, three, four, five, six. And then we’re looking around like, ‘firecrackers?’ And my nephew goes, ‘Get down, get down!’ And he just shoves us down. And I just wanted to crawl out of there on my stomach. I was so scared,” Vincent said.

According to the United States Secret Service, one rally attendee as well as the shooter are dead. Two other attendees were critically injured. The identities of the victims have not been released. Early Sunday morning, the FBI identified the suspected shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks.

The Secret Service said it shot and killed the shooter, who opened fire from “an elevated position outside of the rally venue.”

Anthony Guglielmi, Chief of Communications for the United States Secret Service

Trump was evaluated at the hospital after his ear appeared to be covered in blood from what he said was a gunshot, but reports feeling “fine.” According to witnesses, the former president walked into the emergency room where he received stitches to his ear.

Staffers at NewsNation affiliate WTAJ were at the hospital and confirmed that around 9 p.m. Trump left in his motorcade.

“I can’t believe people would do something like this, that people have so much hate that they would so something like this,” said Scott Smith standing outside of Butler Memorial Hospital to show his support for Trump.

While some arrived at the hospital to give Trump their well wishes, some counter-protestors also gathered with one woman, Ash Nix, holding a sign stating, “Wishing Trump a long terrible recovery!”

“The only sad thing is, if something were to happen to him, he becomes a martyr. And we don’t want that,” Nix said.

According to Pennsylvania State Police Troop D, the investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Troopers are also requesting that people refrain from calling the barracks for an update to keep emergency lines open.

Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation who is now the lead agency handling the investigation.