BBC reporter says he had to take cover after 'half a dozen shots' fired during Trump shooting

By Taryn Pedler 12:24 14 Jul 2024, updated 20:33 14 Jul 2024

A BBC reporter has described the moment he had to take cover on the ground after 'half a dozen' shots were fired during Donald Trump's assassination attempt last night.

Gary O'Donoghue, 55, was filmed lying on a grass bank behind his car just after 10 minutes into the former president's speech when he heard gunshots.

As members of the public ran down the street behind him, the political correspondent said: 'While we were just about to go live on the BBC World Service, we heard some shots fired probably a few hundred metres from where we were standing'.

Recalling the terrifying experience, he said he heard around 'half a dozen' gunshots as well as a woman shouting that someone had been shooting.

'A guy came by and said he thought there had been a couple of snipers but he wasn't sure,' O'Donoghue added.

Crouched on the ground in front of a group of billboards the reporter explained he and his team were waiting to see if things had cleared while hiding behind their 'not ideal' shelter of their vehicle.

The speech had ended, and the blind journalist revealed he could no longer hear Trump speaking as he attempted to ascertain what had happened at the scene.

On Saturday evening at 6:15pm, former US President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt while he delivered a speech at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The gunman has since been revealed as 20-year-old registered Republican Thomas Matthew Crooks, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

It has since emerged through federal campaign finance records that the gunman was a registered Republican who had previously made a $15 donation to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021 - Biden's Inauguration Day.

From a rooftop located around 150 yards from Trump's stage, Crooks fired at least eight shots before the former president was seen clutching his bloody ear.

Footage of the moment shows Trump being immediately ushered away by the US Secret Service as the crowd descended into chaos.

But in a show of strength, Trump emerged from the cover of the suited agents and raised a fist, shouting: 'Fight, fight, fight', before he was rushed to hospital.

Crooks had killed a member of the crowd and critically injured two others before he was gunned down by the Secret Service.

The shooter was killed after he fired from an 'elevated position' outside the outdoor rally venue, according to the Secret Service. 

Images show at least four members of law enforcement surrounding the bloody gunman and the AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle he used on the roof, while they point their guns towards his body.

During the attack, Crooks appeared to be wearing merchandise promoting one of YouTube's most popular channels devoted to firearms - Demolition Ranch - NBC News reported. 

According to Pennsylvania's public court records, Crooks had no criminal history and officials claimed they are still working towards identifying a motive behind the shooting. 

His father, Matthew Crooks told CNN late on Saturday night that he was trying to figure out 'what the hell is going on' but would 'wait until I talk to law enforcement' before speaking about his son. 

Officials have released no additional information about the shooter.

'This remains an active and ongoing investigation,' the FBI said in a statement early Sunday. 

Last night a bomb squad and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at an address registered to Crooks as cops stood guard in front of yellow police caution tape.

Trump flew back to New Jersey ahead of his spending the night at his golf resort in Bedminster.

In a post to his Truth Social network, Trump thanked the Secret Service and other law enforcement 'for their rapid response'.

'I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,' he said on social media.

'Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening.

'I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of law enforcement, for their rapid response,' Trump added.

'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.

'GOD BLESS AMERICA!'

The shooter appeared to have graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, and received a $500 'star award' that year from the National Math and Science Initiative, a report from The Tribune-Review in western Pennsylvania.

In an online recording of the 2022 graduation ceremony, he can be seen crossing the stage as the crowd applauds him, before briefly posing with a school official and accepting his diploma.