Donald Trump rally shooting updates — Video shows RNC security as former president to speak after assassination attempt
SECURITY is ramped up at the Republican National Convention (RNC) as Donald Trump is set to give his first public speech this week after a gunman attempted to assassinate him at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Footage of the RNC in Milwaukee shows miles of barricades, steel fencing, and armed cops and checkpoints for the event, which saw Trump announced as the Republican Party's nominee Monday.
Trump's pick for vice president was also revealed to be Senator JD Vance - a decision with added weight as the running mate will step up in case of an emergency like the one that was prevented this weekend.
Gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, fired at least eight shots toward the stage, killing a spectator and wounding Trump and two others in an attempt to assassinate the former president.
Trump suffered an injury to his ear and was seen bloodied as he was rushed off stage but is now doing well and in Milwaukee for the RNC.
While it's unclear if Trump will take the stage more than once, he's expected to speak Thursday on the last day of the convention.
Follow our Donald Trump rally shooting blog for news and updates...
JD Vance's reaction to shooting
Donald Trump has named JD Vance as his running mate this fall.
After Saturday's shooting, Vance said on X that President Biden's rhetoric led to the assassination attempt.
Snaps from the scene
The U.S. Sun is at the Republican National Convention just after Donald Trump's running mate was revealed to be JD Vance.
Credit: AFP 
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: AFP Trump shares statement about VP pick
Donald Trump has chosen JD Vance as his vice president pick.
"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio," Trump shared on Truth Social.
"J.D. honorably served our Country in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University in two years, Summa Cum Laude, and is a Yale Law School Graduate, where he was Editor of The Yale Law Journal, and President of the Yale Law Veterans Association.
"J.D.’s book, “Hillbilly Elegy,” became a Major Best Seller and Movie, as it championed the hardworking men and women of our Country. J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond…."
JD Vance announced as pick
Donald Trump's running mate for the 2024 presidential election is Senator JD Vance.
Vance has been a senator for less than two years.
Vice president pick to be announced
Donald Trump's running mate is expected to be announced today.
Trump has previously said JD Vance, Doug Burgum, and Marco Rubio are on his shortlist of finalists for the vice president slot.
RNC ramps up security
2024 Republican National ConventionTrump on course to win election, poll says
Donald Trump is on course to win the 2024 election, new polling for The Times suggests.
The poll, taken before this weekend's shooting, shows that Trump has increased his lead in several crucial swing states since March.
President Joe Biden won six of the seven swing states in 2020, but Trump now has a lead ranging from a 1% to 7% advantage in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Trump has taken the lead in all seven swing states since MarchCredit: Chart: The Times and The Sunday Times - Source: Times/YouGov 
Trump has momentum in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and WisconsinCredit: Chart: The Times and The Sunday Times - Source: Times/YouGov Simpson episode pulled after assassination attempt
Channel 4 pulled an episode of The Simpsons after Saturday's attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
The planned repeated episode was set to air Sunday afternoon at 1 pm - and the episode featured a gunman, which TV bosses would be inappropriate following the shooting that left one dead.
The episode originally aired back in the 90s and saw Lisa discover that Springfield was actually founded by a fraudulent pirate.
During a scene, a shooter could be seen on the roof of a building as a public gathering took place, similar to the staging at Trump's rallies.
Reporting live from the RNC
The U.S. Sun is on the ground at the Republican National Convention, where Donald Trump's pick for vice president is expected to be announced in the next few hours.
Credit: Anthony Blair / The U.S. Sun
Thrown out case 'clears the runway' for campaign
David Richards, an associate professor of international relations and political science chair at the University of Lynchburg, spoke to The U.S. Sun exclusively about the impact of the ruling that dismissed the classified documents case against him.
"This ruling clears the runway for Trump's presidential campaign," he argued.
"Even if appealed, it is unlikely the appeal would happen quickly. The timing of Cannon's decision, the day that Trump is due to be nominated at the GOP convention, is interesting."
Homeland security is investigating
Senate Homeland Security Chair Gary Peters said that the committee is opening an investigation into this weekend's attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
“We’re going to be doing an investigation, a bipartisan investigation from the Committee on Homeland Security to look at the events that occurred and determine whether or not there were security breaches that we need to close,” Peters said, according to CNN.
“We’ll try to expedite it. So right now, we’re asking for detailed briefings for committee members.
"So we would also likely have a hearing and we will try to expedite that as well."
Protestors at the RNC
There are protestors lined up near the Republican National Convention.
Credit: AP 
Credit: AP JD Vance en route to RNC
Senator JD Vance is on his way to the Republican National Convention.
Vance is one of Trump's three potential vice president picks, including Senators Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum, who are expected to attend today's GOP conference.
A motorcade transporting Vance and his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, departed the Ohio senator's home in Cincinnati at around 10 am.
Watch Biden call to 'cool down' rhetoric
Biden calls to 'cool down' rhetoric & says politics shouldn't be a 'killing field' after Trump shot by wannabe assassinVivek Ramaswamy compares Trump to Abraham Lincoln
Vivek Ramaswamy has called for unity at the RNC following the attempted assassination on Donald Trump.
“The enemy is not the Democrats, it is an ideology,” Ramaswamy told the crowd.
After his speech, Ramaswamy spoke to reporters and compared the assassination attempt to Abraham Lincoln's assassination.
“Donald Trump, in some ways, has been given the chance now, the second chance that Abraham Lincoln didn’t have to unite a country that, this time, didn’t have to fight a civil war but avoids one," he said.
Victim's neighbor remembers 'hero'
The neighbor of former fire chief Corey Comperatore has spoken out after Comperatore was killed during an assassination attempt on Donald Trump at the former president's rally Saturday.
"He’s a literal hero," neighbor Mike Morehouse told the Associated Press.
"He shoved his family out of the way, and he got killed for them.
“He’s a hero that I was happy to have as a neighbor.”
Trump campaign asks staff to avoid offices
Donald Trump's team members have sent out an internal campaign memo asking staff members to stay away from campaign offices in Washington, DC and West Palm Beach.
In the memo, obtained by ABC News, staff members Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said that the areas should be avoided as the team assesses both locations.
The memo says that there will be an enhanced armed security presence with "24/7 officers on site."
Trump says dismissal is 'first step'
Donald Trump said that today's ruling to dismiss the case against him is the "first step" in tossing more cases against him in a new post on Truth Social.
"As we move forward in Uniting our Nation after the horrific events on Saturday, this dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts — The January 6th Hoax in Washington, D.C., the Manhattan D.A.’s Zombie Case, the New York A.G. Scam, Fake Claims about a woman I never met (a decades old photo in a line with her then husband does not count), and the Georgia “Perfect” Phone Call charges," he wrote.
"The Democrat Justice Department coordinated ALL of these Political Attacks, which are an Election Interference conspiracy against Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME.
"Let us come together to END all Weaponization of our Justice System, and Make America Great Again!"
Judge tosses classified docs case
Judge Aileen Cannon has dismissed the criminal case against Donald Trump that accused him of mishandling classified documents.
The federal judge ruled that special counsel Jack Smith's appointment in the case violated the Constitution.
In her 93-page order, Cannon wrote because Smith was not appointed the role of special counsel by President Joe Biden or confirmed by the Senate, his role in overviewing the case violated the appointments clause of the Constitution.
Trump's defense team requested to dismiss the case in its entirety during a four-hour hearing on June 21 where they argued that Smith was improperly appointed to lead the investigation.
Trump clears up shoe mystery
In a video of Saturday's chaos, Donald Trump could be heard saying “Wait, I want to get my shoes," as he was rushed away.
A hot mic also captured the moment these agents frantically yelled at Trump to "get down."
The former president has cleared any confusion as to where his "tight" shoes had disappeared to after he was taken off stage, he told the New York Post.
“The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight," Trump told the Post.
Trump described these agents as "linebackers" due to their quick response after the shots were fired at him.
Donald Trump Rally Shooting Timeline
Donald Trump was shot at during his Pennsylvania rally on July 13.
1pm: Doors open at the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump was expected to speak at 5pm.
4:11pm: Sean Parnell gave the opening speech.
4:35pm: David McCormick rallied the crowd.
5:10pm: Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, later identified as the shooter, was first identified as a person of interest.
5:30pm: Crooks was spotted with a rangefinder.
5:30pm: Crowds were still waiting for Trump.
5:52pm: Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service.
6:02pm: Trump takes the stage.
6:09pm: Two sniper teams posted on buildings to the north and south behind the rally stage repositioned and were locked on Crooks.
6:12pm: Gunshots were fired toward the stage as Trump delivered remarks.
6:12pm: Secret Service returns fire, confirming the shooter is dead.
6:12pm: Trump was ushered off stage by Secret Service agents.
6:42pm: Secret Service confirmed Trump is safe.
7:24pm: The shooter and one rally attendee are confirmed dead by law enforcement officials.
8:42pm: Trump confirms he was shot in the ear, sharing a statement on Truth Social.
8:49pm: The Secret Service confirms the shooter and a rally attendee are dead. Two others remain critically injured.
'Mom was watching over him'
Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka posted on X Sunday morning, attributing her father’s safety to her late mother.
“Two years ago today, my mom passed away,” the fashion designer wrote.
“I believe she was watching over Dad last night during the attempt on his life.
“I miss her every day and pray for the safety of the family and friends she left behind.”
Inside the horror shooting, part two
The remaining supporters that were amongst the stands rose from the ground as well and began to cheer when they saw Trump.
He was quickly rushed into his car and sped toward a hospital.
The gunshot had pierced the upper part of his right ear.
A witness at the rally said they had seen someone with a rifle on a roof nearby and warned the Secret Service before the shooting took place.
Another witness was an emergency room doctor and he recalled how he performed CPR on a member of the crowd.
Inside the horror shooting
Trump took the stage at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, around 6 pm on Saturday.
He only spoke for a few minutes before the sound of gunfire rang out.
The former president clutched his ear as blood trailed down his face before he quickly ducked to the ground and was surrounded by Secret Service members.
People in the stands screamed, "Get down!" as they tried to cover themselves from the gunfire.
After an all-clear was given and the shooter was taken out by nearby snipers, Trump stood up from the ground with blood dripping down his ear and face.
He immediately raised his fist in the air and mouthed, "Fight, fight, fight."
'Died a hero'
On Sunday, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro addressed Comperatore's death after speaking to his wife and two daughters.
He called the former fire chief a "hero."
"Corey was a girl dad. Corey was a firefighter. Corey went to church every Sunday. Corey loved his community. Most especially, Corey loved his family," he said per CNN.
Shapiro described Comperatore as an “avid supporter of the former president” and said he was excited to be at the rally