Former US President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. A new video analysis shows that Trump narrowly avoided a fatal shot by tilting his head at the last second as a bullet grazed his right ear.
The dramatic footage, captured by veteran New York Times photographer Doug Mills, shows a white streak marking the apparent path of the bullet just behind Trump’s head. Mills, who has covered the White House since 1983, said he never imagined witnessing and photographing such an event.
“It happened so fast, but now I can see it all in slow motion. I was taking pictures when the pops started happening. I just happened to have my finger on the shutter, and I heard the pops and kept shooting,” Mills recalled.
The assassin, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by Secret Service snipers after firing multiple shots at Trump from a nearby rooftop. Witnesses claimed they had tried to warn security officials about a man moving from roof to roof and laying on his stomach with a gun pointed at the rally.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump recounted his brush with death, saying “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening.”
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The attack claimed the life of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who heroically shielded his family during the chaos. Another audience member was seriously wounded.
World leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, condemned the assassination attempt. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed deep concern over the attack.
The incident has sparked discussions about security lapses and the state of political discourse in the United States. As the nation grapples with the aftermath, calls for unity and restraint have echoed among rally attendees and political figures alike.