.png)
Featured Image Credit: CNN/REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Joshua Nair
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
An ex-Secret Service agent has explained how Trump's security kept the former President safe following an unsuccessful assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot in the ear in an assassination attempt, though the gunman was almost instantly killed by the Secret Service.
The alleged shooter was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old Pennsylvania resident who was a member of the Republican party.
Trump was rushed off the stage straight away, after the bullet grazed his ear and resulted in a photo that is sure to become iconic, of the 78-year-old being held down by Secret Service members, while covered in blood.
The FBI are investigating the incident as an assassination attempt.
Advert
During a speech on stage, shots were fired at the former US President, as noises could be heard and Trump reached for his neck, with footage revealing blood on his head.
Photos were later released, highlighting how close the President was to death - in fact, it was a lot closer than most would think.
A last second movement from Trump saved his life, before he was quickly ushered off stage by the Secret Service, as he raised a fist to the on-looking Pennsylvania crowd.
However, one detail was noticed by a former Secret Service agent, who explained how the agents near Trump kept him safe following the shots fired.
Advert
Jonathan Wackrow is a former Secret Service agent and joined CNN for a segment, where he praised the actions of those on the scene who stopped Trump from being compromised further.
He started by saying that this exact moment is what the agents have trained 'thousands of hours' for, as 'everything was textbook in the way they reacted'.
"They actioned off the sound of a threat, in this case what they perceived was some sort of gunfire, coming from what is believed to be the right of the former President," Wackrow said.
He continued: "If you look at the moment you heard the instant sound of what was believed to be gunfire, those Secret Service agents rushed in and did exactly what they are trained to do, which is to put maximum attention to the protectee, and minimum attention to the problem."
"That working shift around the former President, they need to react very quickly to make him safe and the way they're doing it is exactly what we saw - they put their bodies between the former President and the perceived threat, so they might absorb any secondary rounds," he explained.
Advert
Wackrow also observed that they did a rapid assessment of Trump after he went down, as he had agents on top of him almost instantly.
He also highlighted that while all of this is happening, they are getting information from agents outside the inner circle about what's actually happening with the active shooter and what the next course of action is.
In the audio, you can hear some agents shouting commands, signalling that they were cleared to escort Trump off stage after the shooting, which explains how his raised fist photo was allowed.
The Secret Service had said in a statement: "An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.
Advert
"The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe.
"This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available."
A statement from Trump's campaign read: "President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act.
"He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow."
Following the incident on Saturday, the US Secret Service confirmed the alleged gunman is ‘now deceased’ after being ‘neutralised’ by authorities.
Advert
It has also been confirmed that one man died in the shooting with two others critically injured.
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said he was ‘supposed to be dead’.
He added: “The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle.”