Photo: Getty Images North America
Just days after former President Donald Trump came less than an inch away from being killed in what is the first attempt to assassinate a United States President since Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump is speaking out.
Former President Trump was shot in the ear during his rally in Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon, the bullet was a mere half inch away from killing him. Trump told the New York Post, "I'm not supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be dead." Trump also told the New York Post that the doctor he saw immediately after the incident said that he had never seen anything like it. Trump said, "By luck or by God, many people are saying it's by God, I'm still here."
Trump had originally considered delaying his arrival to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by a few days after the assassination attempt. But in a post to TruthSocial, he said that he has decided not to allow the shooter to influence his plans and will give a speech about unity on Monday night.
Investigators have identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks lived around an hour away from the location of Saturday's rally. He has been confirmed as a registered Republican; however, he has donated to the far-left organization ActBlue.
It remains unclear how Crooks was able to get so close to the rally and why the building that he shot from was not secured. The FBI is conducting an investigation and urges anyone with information to submit photos and videos to FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Tragically, one attendee of the rally has been confirmed dead. Corey Comperatore was a former firefighter and resident of Butler, PA. His final posts to social media before his death indicate that he was an avid supporter of President Trump and was excited to attend the rally with his family.
According to reports, after he heard shots ring out, he threw his wife and daughter to the ground and was killed while shielding them from the fire with his body. He has been hailed by many as an American hero.
A GoFundMe for the Comperatore family has already raised over $3.6 million.