WHAT

  • Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump was shot at a rally in PA.

TRUMPS STATEMENT

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, 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!”

WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW SO FAR

  • gunman is dead
  • Trump “is fine”
  • one attendee is dead
  • another attendee is in critical condition

News Sources

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        Do we know yet whether the would-be assassin or Secret Service hit the bystander? I was driving when it happened and am still getting up to speed

        Edit/update: It seems the gunman was on a rooftop, not in the crowd, so, no idea what happened. I have a few theories, but I’m not gonna risk starting rumors.

    • Flying Squid
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      1014 months ago

      I said this in another one of these threads- it is not at all outlandish to think that someone unhinged with a gun would see the threat of a fascist dictator and decide to do something about it.

      • @[email protected]
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        764 months ago

        Yeah, I remember my grandfather telling the story of how Hitler held a speech at a Stadium that was visible from his attic window, and his biggest regret was, that he did not have a machinegun to take him and the other Nazi officials with him out. The US has enough guns and desperation for someone to attempt this, definitely.

          • @[email protected]
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            254 months ago

            I don’t remember him mentioning the exact year, it’s been ages and I was a child still when he was still alive, but I know it was before the Machtergreifung, because he told it as having been a rally during an election campaign, eerily fitting, I guess.

      • @[email protected]
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        124 months ago

        The right has been agitating for stochastic terrorism for about sixteen god damn years. Well, they got it.

        It’s likely a good thing the guy missed. Trump being assassinated might just kick off the open violence that has been brewing. Still might, but it’ll depend on the next couple of days. If that dude turns out to be a left-winger, and Trump makes no attempt to stop it, I could see things getting very, very ugly.

        • @[email protected]
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          144 months ago

          If that dude turns out to be a left-winger

          That dude’s political leaning will turn out to be whatever the news we prefer says he was.

          • Pandantic [they/them]
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            14 months ago

            Reports are coming in that he was a registered republican, but had donated to dems once in the past. He was only 20 so not a lot of political history to go on.

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        People are obviously on high alert, considering how far Trump is willing to go given Jan 6th. From the Reichstag fire to the Russian apartment bombings, such events manufactured or actual have profound impact on public perception and action. Naomi Klein’s (not to be confused with the nut job Naomi Wolf) The Shock Doctrine details this well.

        No sign this was a false flag, but holy fuck does it have terrible implications.

      • @[email protected]
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        124 months ago

        Trump’s entire persona is built on lies, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s many people’s first thought.

    • @[email protected]
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      4 months ago

      I don’t doubt the shooter was genuinely trying to kill him. But I also think there are an unprecedented number of Republicans and Democrats who would be secretly relieved if their own party’s candidate were assassinated.

    • @[email protected]
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      554 months ago

      It’s a very common gut reaction to assume something like this has to be “staged”, I said it in the other thread in some discussions: It’s understandable to have it as this feeling. But everyone who feels that way: take a breath, remember the world is much more chaotic and much less controlled than you think, you don’t have to think of yourself as stupid for thinking it, but wait for more information to come out and be ready to give it up then.

      Reacting properly to this new reality is much more important, than trying to adjust reality to fit an emotion. It’s human to do that, react instinctively in a first gut reaction, but it is also human to be able to let go of that.

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        In the spirit of not promoting violence, I’d like to promote the alternative of the Alex Jones treatment. Gaslight the fucker and set a conspiracy in motion to hound him the rest of his days.

      • @[email protected]
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        114 months ago

        I agree. We’re all just processing this and should probably take a break and come back when there is more info and we can think critically. That said, this is very scary, like, I feel like my physical safety is at risk because of this. So, not knowing what others are going through, I’m going to have some compassion for any initial reactions. People are having these same discussions face to face right now but not everyone can do that and may need to.

        • @[email protected]
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          44 months ago

          I think it absolutely does matter for the political conclusions.

          But at the very least it is far to early to get into these conspiracies, even if the events had unfolded very differently like the bullets not hitting anywhere close.

          However given what we already know and what was caught by dozens of cameras, all the points the conspiracy theorists are coming up with are just insane.

    • @[email protected]
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      214 months ago

      Yeah, a 120 meter shot to graze does not exist. One inch to the right and he’s dead. With wind variables and stuff, the shooter who can reliably pull that off in one shot or volley does not exist.

      • @[email protected]
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        4 months ago

        With a better rifle and a spotter maybe.

        Edit. Just want to say I don’t think it’s a false flag in anyway. Just speculating lol

        • @[email protected]
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          54 months ago

          Not how guns work I’m afraid. I wouldn’t trust Olympic shooter with that type of shot at a closer distance.

          It is not marvel movie, you don’t go for the head.

      • @[email protected]
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        24 months ago

        Everyone keeps saying it can’t be staged because it was so close.

        I just wanted to point out it can be both staged and a successful assassination if the end goal is to point the finger at the left and martyr a polarizing figure.

    • @[email protected]
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      144 months ago

      Yeah, if you’re going to stage a fake assassination, you don’t fire a bullet a couple inches away from a kill shot. It’s crazy how close this was to a successful attempt.

    • Queue
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      114 months ago

      Genuinely infurating that the moment anything happens, NeoLibs will just start copying right-wing talking points.

        • Queue
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          4 months ago

          If you check the modlog, before the Mods here started removing them, dozens of commenters said its a false flag, set up by trump.

          Here’s a screenshot of it happening on PoliticalMemes. EDIT: Used the proper screenshot. https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/comment/9664605

          And here’s some screenshots of the mod logs:

          This isn’t getting into the ones on Mastodon and Twitter who also repeated the same Alex Jones level thinking.

          EDIT: Weird how I gave proof, they move the goal posts. Give proof, move the goal posts. I’m starting to think they just want an excuse for their weird takes and Q-Anon thinking.

            • Queue
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              84 months ago

              On twitter/Mastodon with 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 in their profiles, and treating any valid criticisms of Biden are actually by Russian bots.

              That’s why I consider them NeoLibs.

              • @[email protected]
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                204 months ago

                I see, so you just use the term “NeoLib” to mean “people you disagree with” rather than “people with neoliberal political beliefs”

                • Queue
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                  64 months ago

                  If it advocates for Neoliberal polices, speaks for Neoliberal polices, defends Neoliberal polices, yeah I do. Take your concern trolling elsewhere. I’m not going to bootlick for Reagan and every president afterwards.

                  • @[email protected]
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                    104 months ago

                    You think the people you’re calling “NeoLibs” above are Reagan fans? Your criteria for neoliberal policies is “supports Ukraine and Israel at the same time” and “is aware of the current reality of Russian disinformation tactics”? Neither of those have anything to do with neoliberalism. I don’t think you know what “concern trolling” means, either.

          • @[email protected]
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            4 months ago

            I love lemm.ee

            Yhe mod log is available for all to see. You can even search by username.

            Only one ban so far, I think I’m doing good!

    • @[email protected]
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      114 months ago

      If it was staged, the only feasible way would be that he wasn’t shot at all and all we saw was fake blood. Regardless, I don’t think it was actually staged

    • JackbyDev
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      84 months ago

      It seems far more likely that Trump has some sort of quantum immortality than this being staged. Truly an insane shot to miss so narrowly while still grazing. I get why it makes people scratch their head. It will be interesting to see what happens.

    • @[email protected]
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      84 months ago

      If it was staged then they are playing a very risky game. It doesn’t take much error to make a bullet that grazes your ear dome you. It’s basically certain that this wasn’t staged.