Barron Trump's Immediate Reaction to Hearing of Father's Shooting, Revealed
In July, former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt after he was shot during a Pennsylvania rally, and new details about the immediate aftermath are now being revealed.
Trump, in a recent interview with Mark Levin, discussed the manner in which his closest loved ones, including his son Barron, learned of what happened, as the Daily Mail reports.
The incident unfolded on July 13 at a lively rally during which Trump sustained a gunshot wound to his right ear. This came as a shock during an otherwise typical campaign event aimed at bolstering his support ahead of the election.
At the moment of the attack, Barron Trump was at home in Florida, engaged in a tennis lesson. The news of his father's shooting reached him mid-session, interrupting the ordinary afternoon with dire news.
Melania Trump, watching the rally live on television from a separate location, witnessed the event unfold in real time in what was a moment of terror and disbelief.
Immediate Aftermath and Family Reactions
Upon hearing the news, Barron Trump rushed from his tennis session, visibly shaken by the severity of the situation involving his father.
Donald Trump, meanwhile, managed to acknowledge the support of the crowd at the rally shortly after the attack.
He raised his fist and declared his survival, signaling strength despite the circumstances.
Donald Trump Jr., reflecting on the event, noted the improbability of his father's survival given the close range of the gunfire, emphasizing the gravity of the incident.
Investigation and Details of the Assailant
The assailant, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper following his attempt on Trump's life.
Prior to the event, Crooks reportedly engaged in meticulous planning of the attack, as evident from his research on Trump's and Biden's campaign schedules.
Investigations led by the FBI revealed that Crooks had been preparing for a violent act for years, with searches for bomb-making materials traced back as far as 2019. This preparation included the accumulation of explosive devices found in his residence and vehicle.
At the rally, Crooks used an AR-style rifle, discharging eight shots, which resulted in one fatality and two injuries among the attendees before he was neutralized by security forces.
Family and Federal Responses to the Crisis
The FBI has been thorough in its investigation, conducting close to a thousand interviews to understand Crooks' motive, which remains undetermined.
According to Special Agent Kevin Rojek, while Crooks' mindset is somewhat clear, the exact motive behind the attack still eludes federal investigators.
Following the shooting, Trump described the incident as both a miracle and the result of divine intervention that spared his life.
This sentiment was echoed during his discussions about the event, particularly in an emotional conversation with Melania who found the incident too traumatic to speak about at length.
As the news and the gravity of the situation settled, the Trump family and their supporters rallied together, bolstered by the former president's resilience and the swift actions of his security detail.