Inside the assassination attempt that rocked the world! Former US President Donald Trump vows he will ‘not allow evil to win’ after surviving terrifying attack

Donald Trump vowed he would ‘not allow evil to win’ after surviving a terrifying assassination attempt.

The former president has been tipped for a ‘landslide’ election win after a gunman opened fire at a rally in Pennsylvania.

America was left in uproar this weekend as dramatic photos of a blood-stained Mr Trump pumping his fist in the air circulated around the world. 

Last night he announced he would not postpone the Republican National Convention, which starts today, where he will officially become the party’s presidential nominee.

The would-be assassin was named yesterday as Thomas Crooks, 20, a registered Republican and high school ‘outcast’ who is believed to have acted alone.

Donald Trump has vowed he would ‘not allow evil to win’ after surviving a terrifying assassination attempt on Saturday afternoon

Secret Service agents raced to the stage to protect Trump mere seconds after shots were fired 

This is the moment the president turned his head as he realised he was injured as at least one stunned onlooker realized something had gone very wrong at the campaign rally

Trump is seen surrounded by Secret Service agents moments after the shocking shooting

In what is becoming the defining photograph of the US presidential election campaign so far, Trump pumped a fist at the crowd to signal that he was OK to his supporters

Trump mouthed the word ‘fight’ at supporters as blood spattered across his face 

Moment by moment: How the events of yesterday unfolded as a shooter attempted to take the life of former US President Donald Trump

Last night, the US authorities found explosive devices in his car.

Armed with an AR-15 rifle, he crawled onto a roof just 130 yards from Mr Trump at a political rally in Butler on Saturday. 

The US Secret Service – which guards political leaders – faced disturbing questions about how the gunman got close enough to shoot Mr Trump through the ear.

One audience member, who was named as retired fire chief Corey Comperatore, was killed in the attack.

Two other men injured in the shooting, who were named yesterday as David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were said to be in a stable condition.

In a defiant statement yesterday, Mr Trump posted on his platform Truth Social: ‘Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.

In a post to Truth Social shortly after the assassination attempt, Trump said his thoughts are with the family of the rally attendee who was killed as he offered details of the shooting 

‘We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness. 

‘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.’

Political experts predicted Mr Trump could win a ‘landslide’ in November’s election, referencing the shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981 which was the last major US assassination attempt. 

Nick Ferres, of Vantage Point Asset Management, said: ‘From memory, Reagan went up 22 points in the polls after his assassination attempt. 

‘The election is likely to be a landslide. This probably reduces uncertainty.’

Witnesses said they told police a man with a gun was on a building overlooking the rally minutes before at least eight shots rang out. 

Yearbook images have surfaced of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who opened fire on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. A resident confirmed the identity to DailyMail.com

Authorities found explosive materials in Crooks’ vehicle and family home. Members of the Bethel Park community where Crooks is believed to have lived with his parents were swarmed by police and Secret Service on Sunday morning

Footage shows the crowd screaming ‘he’s got a gun’ several times while the ex-president was speaking.

The attacker, who had no criminal record, reportedly used his father’s weapon for the attack before Secret Service snipers shot him dead.

Mr Trump moved his head slightly moments before the bullet struck, which may have saved his life. 

But Mr Comperatore, 50, who was sat behind the former president, was killed.

Mr Trump’s wife Melania yesterday labelled Crooks a ‘monster’ and urged Americans to ‘ascend above the hate’.

President Joe Biden personally called Mr Trump yesterday and they had a ‘short and respectful’ conversation – the first time they have spoken outside political debates in years.

‘Trump was a hair’s breadth away from assassination’: Minute by minute analysis 

by Rebecca Camber, Crime and Security Editor

He moved barely an inch but it was enough to change the course of history. Against the backdrop of the Stars and Stripes and a brilliant blue sky, Donald Trump turned his head ever so slightly – and dodged a deadly bullet.

As a volley of shots rang out – one striking the former president in the upper part of his right ear – there was silence.

Then the screaming started. Mr Trump touched his ear and looked at his bloodied hand before ducking suddenly behind his podium to cries of ‘Get down, get down, get down!’

The very few moments before Donald Trump was shot at, he turned his head towards a giant screen, potentially saving his life

As a volley of shots rang out – one striking the former president in the upper part of his right ear – there was silence

He moved barely an inch but it was enough to change the course of history. Against the backdrop of the Stars and Stripes and a brilliant blue sky, Donald Trump turned his head ever so slightly – and dodged a deadly bullet

Seconds later, Mr Trump reappeared in view of the cameras, hoisted to his feet by his Secret Service team now acting as a Praetorian Guard

His fist gesture to the crowd, surrounded by Secret Service agents, suggested to his supporters that he had survived

The moment a bullet streaked past his temple was captured by a photographer just a split second after he had turned his head, a movement that may have saved his life.

It was just after 6.03pm local time on Saturday night, 11.03pm UK time, when he took to the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to the familiar strains of Lee Greenwood’s God Bless The USA.

He began his address to a crowd of around 30,000 supporters who had queued in the blistering 35C (95F) heat at the Butler Farm Show fairground, trickling through security scanners before taking their seats.

The event promised to be just another step on the election campaign trail before Mr Trump is formally crowned the Republican presidential nominee this week.

But around five minutes after he took to the stage, bystanders noticed a figure crawling on to a nearby roof and warned local police, according to two law enforcement officials.

‘We noticed a guy army-crawling, bear-crawling, up the roof of the building beside us, 50ft away. He had a rifle, we could clearly see a rifle,’ Greg Smith told the BBC.

He said he tried to alert the authorities for three to four minutes, but thought they could not see the gunman because of the slope of the roof. 

One police officer climbed up to the roof and encountered Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman. 

The member of the crowd killed in the assassination attempt on Donald Trump has been identified as Corey Comperatore, a retired fire chief from Pennsylvania 

Secret Service agents piled themselves on top of Mr Trump, before announcing the shooter had been taken down

He pointed his rifle at the officer, who retreated down the ladder.

The popping sound of bullets cut through the air at 6.11pm, resembling firecrackers, which silenced Mr Trump as he was talking about a spike in undocumented immigration under President Joe Biden.

As he turned his head towards a chart on a ‘jumbotron’ screen showing illegal border crossings and uttered the words ‘take a look at what happened’, the first shot rang out.

For a fraction of a second there was silence, as many looked around in confusion.

Mr Trump raised a hand to his right ear as two more shots rang out. When he pulled his hand back it was covered in blood.

As he dived to the floor, blood pouring from his ear, the crowd began screaming.

Secret Service agents clad in black suits jumped on to Mr Trump, 78, acting as human shields as more gunshots rang out. 

The microphone, which he had been speaking into seconds earlier, picked up the chaos.

‘What are we doing, what are we doing?’ a voice could be heard frantically asking as yet another gunshot rang out. 

As the shots fired out, spectators got down close to the ground to protect themselves from the deadly situation

As he was escorted into his motorcade, Donald Trump continued to pump his fist into the air

Within seconds, heavily armed officers in dark tactical gear had sprinted on to the stage.

‘Hawkeye’s here,’ one shouted, referencing the codename for the elite counter assault team assigned to the former president.

Surrounded by bodyguards, Mr Trump crouched on the floor with blood running down his cheek.

Meanwhile, two Secret Service snipers on a rooftop executed Crooks, who was lying on a separate rooftop around 433ft from the stage. 

Shortly after, other agents clambered on to the roof to confront the gunman dressed in camouflage shorts and a grey T-shirt, his long hair draped over his blood-streaked face.

‘They crawled up on the roof, they had their guns pointed at him, made sure he was dead. He was dead, and it was over,’ Mr Smith said. 

He posed the question that many were asking: ‘Why is there not Secret Service on all of these roofs here? This is not a big place. [It’s a] security failure, 100 per cent security failure.’

Less than a minute after the first shot was heard, one member of the Hawkeye team with Mr Trump declared: ‘Shooter’s down. Are we good to move? We’re clear, we’re clear, we’re clear – let’s move.’

Seconds later, Mr Trump reappeared in view of the cameras, hoisted to his feet by his Secret Service team now acting as a Praetorian Guard. 

The Republican’s red ‘MAGA’ cap, knocked off his head, was clutched in his hands.

‘Hold up, your head is bloody,’ an agent could be heard saying, while the former president stammered: ‘Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes on.’ 

As Donald Trump got down to the ground, spectators were left in the stands trying to protect themselves from any further shots

As agents jostled around him trying to usher him to safety, saying ‘I got you sir’, Mr Trump commanded the team in a clear voice: ‘Wait, wait, wait!’

Deliberately, he turned to the crowds, his blood-streaked face a picture of defiance. 

Blood trickling down his ear, he pumped a fist in the air, mouthing to supporters: ‘Fight, fight, fight.’

The response from the crowd was deafening as they roared ‘USA, USA, USA’.

Moments later, a phalanx of agents bundled Mr Trump off stage and into a waiting bulletproof Chevrolet Suburban. 

Before the doors could close he paused to turn to the crowd, raising his fist one last time to show supporters he was all right.

But it soon became clear that others were not so lucky. Corey Comperatore, 50, a retired fire chief, was sitting behind the former president. 

His family last night said he died a hero after shielding his young daughter and wife from the gunfire.

One witness, Dr Joseph Meyn said: ‘It was apparent they were trying to kill the [former] president. The first few shots hit people. 

‘Right ahead of me, a man got a gunshot wound and he was killed instantaneously.

An emergency room doctor at Donald Trump’s rally revealed how he performed CPR on a member of the crowd 

‘It was a direct hit. His body immediately fell into the bleachers.’ 

He added that it looked like someone else ‘got hit in the forearm or hand’.

‘Donald Trump was a hair’s breadth away from being assassinated. Had he not looked to the left… he would have got hit directly in the head.

‘A swat team showed up relatively quickly. I helped carry the body of the man out of the bleachers and they took him to a tent.’

A doctor, who was pictured in a white USA T-shirt drenched in blood, tried in vain to resuscitate Mr Comperatore.

Meanwhile, Rico Elmore, vice chairman of the Beaver County Republican Party, held the victim’s head, but it was too late. ‘It was a horror,’ he said.

Congressman Ronny Jackson, who was Mr Trump’s doctor during his presidency, said his nephew was among the wounded.

Mr Jackson said: ‘Thankfully his injury was not serious and he is doing well. My family was sitting in the front, near where the [former] president was speaking.’

‘They heard shots ringing out – my nephew then realized something had grazed and cut his neck. He was treated by the providers in the medical tent.’

‘Thank you to all those that have reached out to check on him. Please join my family and me in praying for all who were injured and the life lost.

‘[Mr Trump] and the survivors are lucky to be alive.’

Donald Trump scrambled to his feet with the assistance of his secret service detail in the moments after the shots were fired

Even as the former president was driven off, many rallygoers stayed low and the BBC’s Gary O’Donoghue was filmed talking to the camera while lying on the ground for safety.

Some bystanders had heard the bullets ricocheting off the grandstand, severing a hydraulic line connecting to the speakers, which began to topple.

Mr Trump later issued a statement saying: ‘I want to extend my 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. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.

‘Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. God bless America.’

As supporters were ushered out of the field which had been declared a crime scene, one shouted: ‘Trump was just elected today, folks. He’s a martyr.’

Others appeared awestruck by the unforgettable image of Trump standing bloodied but defiant, with his fist raised.

And no doubt it will come to be a defining image in American political history.