Donald Trump was injured in an attempted assassination at a rally.

 Former US President Donald Trump was hurriedly escorted off stage during a rally in Pennsylvania after gunshots were fired in what appeared to be an assassination attempt. Video footage captured the moment Trump grimaced and instinctively raised a hand to his right ear as several shots rang out. Swiftly responding US Secret Service agents surrounded him and swiftly moved him away from the stage to safety. Trump acknowledged supporters with a raised fist as he was escorted into a waiting vehicle.

In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump disclosed that a bullet had struck the "upper part" of his right ear. Earlier, his spokesperson had mentioned he was undergoing treatment at a nearby medical center.

"I instantly sensed something was amiss when I heard a whizzing sound, gunfire, and immediately felt the bullet piercing my skin," Trump wrote. "There was significant bleeding, and I quickly understood the gravity of the situation."

Blood was visibly evident on Trump's ear and face as security officers swiftly escorted him away.

According to US Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, the suspect was fatally shot by Secret Service officers at the scene. Guglielmi also confirmed that one bystander was killed in the shooting and two others sustained critical injuries.

Subsequent reports from officials indicated that all three victims were male. Law enforcement sources informed CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that the male assailant had been armed with a rifle and had fired from an elevated structure located several hundred meters away from the venue.

FBI agents, leading the investigation, informed reporters in Butler that they had "tentatively identified" the deceased gunman but had not yet determined a motive. Special Agent Kevin Rojek confirmed that the agency was investigating the incident as an assassination attempt. He also noted that the suspect was not in possession of identification, prompting investigators to utilize DNA analysis for formal identification.

The Republican presidential candidate had just begun addressing his supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, a pivotal swing state for the upcoming election, when gunshots interrupted the event. Multiple loud bangs echoed through the venue as Trump discussed President Joe Biden and his administration. Supporters holding placards behind Trump reacted by ducking for cover.

Eyewitnesses speaking to the BBC speculated that the gunfire might have originated from a nearby one-story building to the right of the stage where Trump was speaking.

One witness named Greg informed the BBC that he observed a suspicious individual "bear crawling" on the roof of a nearby building approximately five minutes after Trump began speaking. Greg stated that he alerted police after spotting the person.

"He had a rifle, it was clear as day," Greg recounted. "We pointed him out to the police down below, saying 'hey, there's a guy on the roof with a rifle,' but initially they didn't comprehend what was happening."

Another attendee named Tim described hearing a "barrage" of gunfire during the rally.

"We heard what sounded like a series of shots, and initially thought it was a fire hose. Then, the speaker on the right-hand side started to topple down," Tim recalled.

"Something must have struck the hydraulic lines, causing it to collapse. President Trump went to the ground, and chaos ensued as everyone started taking cover."

Warren and Debbie, who were present at the venue, recounted to the BBC that they heard at least four gunshots. They immediately dropped to the ground along with others as Secret Service agents moved through the crowd, urging everyone to take cover. Despite the tense situation, they described the attendees remaining remarkably calm.

"We were in disbelief that it was unfolding," Warren recalled.

Debbie mentioned that a young girl nearby was distraught, crying and expressing fear, questioning, "How is this happening to us?"

"That was heartbreaking," Debbie expressed.

Republican Congressman Ronnie Jackson informed the BBC that his nephew sustained a minor neck injury in the shooting and received treatment at the scene, as stated in Mr. Jackson's statement.