Donald Trump said people must remain “defiant in the face of wickedness” after he survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally.
The former president was rushed off the stage in Butler after gunshots rang through the crowd.
One person in the crowd was killed and two people were critically injured after an attacker fired “multiple shots”, said the Secret Service. The suspected gunman was killed according to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger.
The Secret Service said the suspected shooter fired from “an elevated position outside of the rally venue”. The FBI has taken over the investigation and is treating the attack as an attempted assassination.
Mr Trump has said he will remain “resilient” and “defiant” following the incident.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, the former US president said: “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.
“We will fear not, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness.
“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.
“I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our great nation this week from Wisconsin. DJT”
Mr Trump thanked the Secret Service and other law endorsement for their “rapid response” and he extended condolences “to the family of the person at the rally who was killed and also to the family of another person that was badly injured”.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,” he said.
Photographs show the bloodied Republican leader defiantly pumping his fist in the air after shots were fired at the rally.
Mr Trump, who was “safe” according to a spokesman, earlier said on his Truth Social media platform that a bullet had “pierced” his ear before he was dragged to the ground by Secret Service agents.
Spokesman Steven Cheung said Mr Trump is “fine” and being checked out at a local medical facility while the former president’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr said his father “is in great spirits”.
Mr Trump flew back to New Jersey ahead of his spending the night at his golf resort in Bedminster.
The FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the gunman. He is alleged to have used an AR-style rifle for the attack.
Kevin Rojek, the FBI officer in charge, said they had not identified a motive for what he a called “an assassination attempt on our former president”.
According to US media reports, authorities also found bomb-making materials in Crooks’ car, which was parked near the rally. This was not immediately confirmed by the FBI.
President Joe Biden said “everybody must condemn” the incident, adding that he hoped to speak with his 2024 presidential rival soon.
Addressing the nation about two hours after the shooting, Mr Biden said he was relieved the former president is reportedly “doing well” and the White House confirmed the presidential rivals have spoken.
“We cannot allow this to be happening,” he said. “The idea that there’s violence in America like this is just unheard of.”
Mr Biden said he was waiting for additional information before formally calling the attack an attempted assassination on the former president.
The president delivered his comments from the White House’s emergency briefing room in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which is set up whenever the president travels. He was spending the weekend at his beach home and was at a nearby church when the shooting occurred.
Mr Biden received an “initial briefing” from aides after he left church minutes after the shooting and then convened security officials for a more in-depth update.
The Biden campaign said it was pausing all messaging to supporters and working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible, the campaign said.
Trump’s wife, former First Lady Melania, also spoke of her shock, saying it could have caused “devastating” change to her and their son, Barron.
“A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,” she said.
“The core facets of my husband’s life – his human side – were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times.”
World leaders also expressed their shock and horror at the shooting.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack.”
France’s President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting a “tragedy for our democracies”.
Mr Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee said the party’s convention in Milwaukee, which is due to start on Monday, will “proceed” after the shooting.
Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement that she was also briefed, adding that she and her husband “are relieved” that Mr Trump was not seriously injured.
“Violence such as this has no place in our nation,” she said. “We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.”
Mr Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing out.
The ex-president could be seen reaching with his right hand towards his neck and there appeared to be blood on his face.
He quickly ducked as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to him.
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist before he was taken to his motorcade which left the venue.
Police began vacating the site in Butler shortly after Mr Trump left the stage.
Former President Barack Obama said in a statement: “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. We should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”
His predecessor George W Bush described the shooting as a “cowardly attack” on Mr Trump’s life.
Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, said: “All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot.
“There’s lots of blood, and then the Secret Service were all over President Trump.”
