Donald Trump's campaign says the former president is "fine", after a shooting at his campaign rally which appeared to injure him, kill one crowd member and critically injure another.
Watch: Donald Trump was rushed off stage after shots were fired in an alleged assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Multiple shots rang out at the Republican presidential candidate's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania as video showed Mr Trump grimacing and raising a hand to his right ear.
The Washington Post is citing Butler's country district attorney as saying the shooter is also dead.
The former president had just started his speech when gunshots erupted and Mr Trump and other rally attendees hit the deck.
Secret Service agents swarmed around him and live video showed blood on the right side of Mr Trump's face and ear.
Body guards are then seen crowding around Mr Trump as he ducked below the podium and armed officers took up positions at the front of the stage.
Mr Trump repeatedly raised his fist to the crowd and shouted as he was escorted to a vehicle by the US Secret Service.
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.
Trump is 'fine'
It was not clear how or what injuries he may have sustained, but in a statement his spokesperson Steven Cheung said the former president "is fine."
"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," he said.
The US Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi also issued a statement saying Mr Trump was safe and the incident was being investigated.
"An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. 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," Guglielmi said in a statement.
Witnesses report gunshots
Video of what sounded like gunshots at the Trump rally.
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 13, 2024
pic.twitter.com/3xcJxlKYrP
The Washington Post reports that Mr "Trump was grazed by gunfire but is safe. An audience member was killed and the shooter is dead. Another person is in serious condition."
CNN is reporting that pool reporters at the rally said they had heard "a series of loud explosions or loud bangs".
"The Secret Service went and immediately covered President Trump," according to the pool report. "Pool heard residual bangs afterward."
"Agents grabbed Trump, who was seen waving his fists in the air," the pool report added.
CNN's Alayna Treene, who was also reporting from the rally, told that network, "We heard a bunch of ... loud cracking noises. At first I thought: Is that fireworks? All of a sudden everyone started screaming."
Armed law enforcement officers were also seen on a roof near the stage where Mr Trump was standing.
The venue was abandoned with chairs knocked over and yellow police tape around the stage.
A helicopter flew above and law enforcement walked through the area, according to the video feed.
US President Joe Biden said he was not briefed on the reported shooting, speaking to reporters as he walked out of church in Delaware. He has subsequently received a briefing on the incident.
The US Republican leader in the Senate Senator Mitch McConnell issued statement.
"Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics. We appreciate the swift work of the Secret Service and other law enforcement," he said.
Australian reactions
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a brief statement.
"The incident at former President Trump's campaign event in Pennsylvania today is concerning and confronting," he said.
"There is no place for violence in the democratic process.
"I am relieved to hear reports that former President Trump is now safe."
Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison labelled it an assassination attempt.
Cabinet minister Tony Burke reiterated the prime minister's call for no violence as he also expressed his relief at Mr Trump being safe.
"It's a reminder, no matter how extra information comes through, as to how important it is that violence plays no part in any democracy," he told ABC's Insiders on Sunday.
"It's a really important reminder in the United States and in all democracies around the world."
Shooting ahead of Republican nomination
Mr Trump and Mr Biden are locked in a close election rematch, with most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos showing the two evenly matched.
Mr Trump is due to receive the Republican nomination formally at the Republican National Convention that kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday.
Mr Trump, who served as president from 2017-2021, easily bested his rivals for the Republican nomination early in the campaign and has largely unified around him the party that had briefly wavered in support after his supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
The businessman and former reality television star entered the year facing a raft of legal worries, including four separate criminal prosecutions.
He was found guilty in late May of trying to cover up hush money payments to a porn star, but the other three prosecutions he faces - including two for his attempts to overturn his defeat - have been ground to a halt by various factors including a Supreme Court decision early this month that found him to be partly immune to prosecution.
More to come
- with AP
