Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania said Sunday that former President Donald Trump was only six to seven minutes into his stump speech in Butler County when shots rang out, sparking confusion, shock and anger.
Speaking to NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Mr. Meuser said he was standing in the front row of the campaign rally with Senate candidate Dave McCormick when the attack began.
“I really looked at Dave and he looked at me, and we just looked around. We turned around, we knew where they were coming from. And then my eyes just turned fast to the president, fixated on him,” said Mr. Meuser, a Republican. “And that’s when he was hit, and he hit the deck. He didn’t look like he went down from the shot, but he hit the deck and put his hand up on his head. And I really was thinking the worst. And so you get a surge of anger, of frustration, of wanting to do something.”
The FBI said Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire on Mr. Trump from the rooftop of a building less than 150 yards from the event stage while Mr. Trump was speaking. The gunman was quickly shot and killed by Secret Service agents.
Mr. Trump’s ear was hit — either by a bullet or broken glass — and one rally attendee was killed and two others were critically injured, the Secret Service said.
Leading Republicans said they would grill the Secret Service about how the shooting was allowed to happen. But Mr. Meuser said agents deserved credit for being on top of the situation after the shooting started.
“I mean, people were upset, people were screaming. But at the same time, it was controlled, particularly when President Trump put up his fist and let everybody know that he was OK,” Mr. Meuser said. “And I think that was a sign to everyone that they were going to be okay as well.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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