(PatriotSpotlight.org) – Following Saturday’s attempt on ex-President Donald Trump’s life, there have been widespread calls for national unity against political violence.
The G.O.P.’s presidential nominee survived after a bullet grazed his ear, but one man passed away and two were injured from gunshots. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), who represents the district where the shocking events unfolded last weekend, has described the rally as “surreal,” but warned that extreme political rhetoric could have contributed to the violence, saying it needs to “stop”.
Speaking about the horrific attack, which took the life of local volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore after he shielded his young daughters from the gunshots, Kelly said such violence showed the country had become the “divided states of America.” He said the nation’s political life had become “too radical” and that not one person or group of people were responsible for such change. He said people should think more about their personal responsibility.
Authorities are currently probing the shooting and the potential motives. There are also reports that explosives may have been located in the assailant’s nearby vehicle. The assassin, who was killed by Secret Service agents while still active at the scene, was a 20-year-old local man named Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was a registered Republican but had previously donated a small amount of money to a progressive political fund. He did not appear to have left a manifesto or note explaining why he attempted to kill Trump, nor have the media currently exposed any major events in his personal life which could shed light on his motives. However, one former schoolmate told media that Crooks had been mercilessly bullied at school.
Four sitting U.S. Presidents have been assassinated since the country declared independence from the British Empire in 1776, with the killing of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 being the most recent successful attempt. Trump previously also survived an assassination attempt at a Las Vegas rally in 2016, when a British citizen with a track record of mental health issues opened fire.
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