BUTLER, Pa. (WHTM) - Pennsylvania's Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick says he was nearly on the stage next to former President Donald Trump when an apparent assassination attempt took place with the former president being struck in the ear.
McCormick had spoken earlier in the event and was in the first row with Congressmen Mike Kelly and Dan Meuser when Trump attempted to bring him back on the stage.
"He said he wanted to invite me to the stage so I started to move up to the stage, and then he said no no we'll have to come up later. It was within a minute or two after that there was some shooting," said McCormick. "And you heard a couple pop pops and then it became clear there was rifle shots and the President immediately dropped to the floor and the Secret Service were on top of him."
McCormick added he could see the blood on Trump's face and his fist raised in the air as the Secret Service pulled him off the stage. The Republican Senate nominee called it a "sobering moment" and a "caution to us all" that politics can not become violent.
The McCormick campaign says all of their staff are safe.
Senator Bob Casey, who is running against McCormick, directed television stations to hold running campaign advertisements temporarily.
"I am monitoring the situation at President Trump’s rally in Butler and I’ve reached out the State Police to offer support," said Casey. "Political violence is never acceptable and I am hoping former president Trump & all attendees are safe. Everyone in Butler should listen to law enforcement."
Casey's colleague Senator John Fetterman said on social media "I am appalled and condemn in the strongest terms this violence in Butler. I extend my condolences to those injured and wish a speedy and full recovery for Mr. Trump."
Trump posted on social media that a bullet “pierced the upper part of my right ear" during the attempted assassination. The gunman and a spectator are both deceased.
This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available