Assassination attempt on Trump: Former president arrives in Milwaukee

Donald Trump was shot at at a campaign rally. The former president escaped with minor injuries. All developments on the live blog.

2.12 am: US President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office after attempting to attack his challenger Donald Trump. Biden emphasizes the need to calm the political situation in the country: “We need to reduce the heated temper in politics.”

He reminds us that Americans are “neighbors and friends, not enemies.” He expressed comfort that Trump was not seriously injured in the incident at the campaign rally.

Nothing is yet known about the shooter’s motives or potential supporters, Biden said. Biden condemned the act of violence: “This kind of violence has no place in America without exception.” He admits that the election campaign was characterized by very heated political rhetoric, but at the same time insists on high stakes in the upcoming presidential elections.

1:09 am: A day after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the former US president landed in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention. TV footage of Trump’s plane was shown on the tarmac near downtown Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention begins Monday.

According to his own reports, Trump initially considered postponing his trip by two days because of the events. But he concluded that “I cannot allow a ‘shooter’ or a potential killer to be forced into the schedule or anything.”

9:50 PM: FBI gives all clear: The suspected shooter acted alone, and there are no security threats, according to a representative of the US Federal Police. The incident has been classified as domestic terrorist attack and attempted murder. The FBI is investigating the social media accounts of the slain 20-year-old. So far, there is no evidence of ideology or mental illness on the part of the suspected killer. The weapon was purchased legally, presumably by the suspect’s father. Bomb experts seized the suspicious device in the suspect’s car, which has now been taken to a laboratory for further investigations.

9.40 pm: Two people seriously injured in an assassination attempt on Donald Trump are in stable condition, Pennsylvania police said. A bystander was killed in a shooting at a campaign rally.

9:33 PM: A police officer reportedly caught the attacker on the roof shortly before the deadly scenes at a Donald Trump campaign rally. The Associated Press (AP) news agency reported this. The officer climbed onto the roof, threatened the killer with a weapon, and then quickly left the roof.

The accused immediately fired at Trump. Shortly after, he was shot dead by Secret Service agents.

8:23 PM: After the assassination attempt on his predecessor and political rival, Donald Trump, US President Joe Biden delivered a speech to the nation, calling for the country to stand together. “We must stand together as a nation,” Biden said at the White House and announced his intention to address American citizens in an official speech from the Oval Office on Sunday evening (Monday German night). Biden also declares: “Everything will be done to protect Donald Trump.”

7:59 PM: Cory Comparetore, a firefighter and family man, was killed while attending a campaign event for former US President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, made the announcement and said he spoke to his wife and daughters. The 50-year-old “died a hero” and leaned over his family for protection when shots were fired at a Trump rally. He was an “enthusiastic supporter” of Trump.