The gunman, identified by the FBI as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, took a shot from a roof almost 120 metres away as Mr. Trump was speaking. The bullet grazed the ex-president's ear - and the shooter was killed by the services soon after. One spectator has also died as the result of the shootout.
Pennsylvania voter records listed a Thomas Matthew Crooks with the same address and birth date as the deceased as a registered Republican, though it was not clear from the records when that was put in place.
At the news conference following the identification of the gunman, the investigators said that their priority now is finding a motive and determining whether he had accomplices.
"The assassination of President Donald Trump is a shocking moment not only for America - but for the entire free and democratic world. Mr. President, like your loved ones and all people of good will, I thank God for saving your life. I wish you a speedy recovery, hoping that your injuries are not severe and that you will regain full strength soon"
- Poland's President Andrzej Duda wrote on his social media on Sunday morning.
- the head of Polish government, Donald Tusk, posted on X.
The photo below, taken by Evan Vucci of the Associated Press as the events unfolded, is already described by many as the 'election-winning image'.
Professor Tomasz Płudowski, an Americanist affiliated with Warsaw's University of Economics and Humanities, told Polish Radio on Sunday morning that the attempted assassination of Donald Trump changes the rules of the fight for the presidential chair - and just as well may determine the election result.
In the event of an external threat, voters usually unite around the leader. It's not even about politics, it's more like a matter of strong emotions. And this attack is most definitely an event that gives rise to this type of reflex. It changes the game completely - and you could say that as of today, the score of the race is, in a sense, two-nil for Trump. First we had Biden's disastrous debate performance - and now Trump becomes a victim of violence and calls for a fight. I think Donald Trump just won the US presidential election.
- the professor concluded.
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Source: IAR, PAP
