🚨 TRUMP SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION & WHAT’S NEXT

Former President Trump vowed to remain “defiant in the face of wickedness” the day after he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

• At 6:11 pm, a few minutes into his rally on Saturday in Butler, PA — about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh — shots rang out. A bullet grazed the former president's right ear.

• One rally attendee was killed, and two others were seriously wounded, before Secret Service agents killed the shooter.

President Biden, in a rare Oval Office address last night, called for the nation to unite, “to lower the temperature in our politics,” and for an end to political violence. Trump issued a similar message earlier in the day.

The Republican National Convention is set to start today, and some politicians are getting the message; while others are ratcheting things up. 

WHAT WE KNOW
Trump was on stage for about seven minutes when a series of shots rang out. He touched his ear, then dropped down. A few moments later a sniper killed the shooter. Trump remained crouched and shielded by Secret Service agents for about a minute. Then, he was escorted off-stage, pumping his fist and yelling in defiance: "Fight...fight...fight!"

• About 150 yards away from the stage, the shooter — identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks — had climbed onto a nearby roof and used what’s believed to be his father’s AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle to fire eight shots, preliminary findings show. His car, parked near the rally, had materials to build two explosives inside. His home also had supplies.

  • Motive: Authorities are in the beginning stages of their investigation, and are still looking for the motive and how Crooks planned the attack.

  • What we know about him: Crooks worked at a local nursing home and did not have military training. Former high school classmates described him as an intelligent loner who was “relentlessly” bullied. He was registered as a Republican, but also donated $15 to a Democratic-allied organization in 2021.

• Some witnesses say they alerted local law enforcement after seeing a “guy bear crawling on the roof with a rifle” minutes before the shooting.

  • Yesterday, the AP reported that a local police officer climbed onto the roof and Crooks pointed the rifle at the officer, who then retreated down the ladder before Crooks quickly shot at Trump.

  • The roof was determined to be vulnerable days before the event. There appears to have been a misunderstanding about who was handling security outside the security perimeter. The Secret Service says it was the jurisdiction of local law enforcement. Locals claim it was the opposite.

THE VICTIMS
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) said that Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed at the rally after he jumped on his family to protect them. His wife called him a “hero” who loved his daughter and served his community as a firefighter.

• Police identified David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, as the two other spectators injured — both are said to be in stable condition.

• A GoFundMe page for the victims and their families has already raised millions of dollars.

SECRET SERVICE QUESTIONS
It’s the job of the Secret Service to secure the perimeter of events for former presidents and the major party presidential candidates. Investigators will ask why a roof so close to the podium went apparently unguarded, among many other questions.

• The Secret Service typically has an advance team assess a location ahead of a campaign event to make a security plan. Agents will take measurements of the area, determine necessary personnel as well as work with counter snipers to examine nearby buildings.

Biden said yesterday that he ordered an independent review of what security measures failed. He also promised that Trump will have “every resource capability and protective measure necessary to ensure his continued safety.”

• The FBI is leading the investigation. The organization and local law enforcement officials have made statements about the shooting, but the Secret Service has stayed relatively silent.

• Over on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) vowed to have a “full investigation” into the shooting, while House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) asked Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at a July 22 hearing. House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-TN) wants Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to answer questions too.

  • In a letter to Mayorkas, Green wrote, “The seriousness of this security failure and chilling moment in our nation’s history cannot be understated. No assassination attempt has come so close to taking the life of a president or presidential candidate since President Reagan was shot in 1981."

POLITICAL BALANCING ACT
Biden and VP Harris are pausing all political ads and have called-off campaign events for today.

• Democratic lawmakers have paused political attacks on Trump since the shooting too.

  • Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose husband was injured in a politically-motivated attack, along with party leaders in Congress, denounced the attack.

• Speaker Johnson said both parties need to “turn the rhetoric down.” But within his party, lawmakers are not holding back their attacks on Biden and Democrats.

  • “This was an assassination attempt aided and abetted by the radical Left and corporate media incessantly calling Trump a threat to democracy, fascists, or worse,” said Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), one possible Trump running mate.

  • “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination,” said Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), another possible Trump running mate.

  • “Joe Biden sent the orders,” said Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA).

What we’re watching: The Republican National Convention starts today in Milwaukee, and Trump campaign officials say it will go on as planned. We’ll see if speakers take Trump and Johnson’s advice.

• One notable change is that vocal Trump critic and former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley will speak on Tuesday, after initially not being invited.

  • This might be a sign that Saturday’s events will bring the Republican party together, and could galvanize their voters in November.

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⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Melania Trump releases statement after Trump assassination attempt: "A monster ... attempted to ring out Donald's passion" (CBS NEWS)

📌 Donald Trump arrives in Milwaukee for RNC after assassination attempt heightens security fears (AP)

📌 Who will be speaking at the RNC (AXIOS)

📌 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott demands answers as customers remain without power for weeks after Hurricane Beryl (ABC NEWS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 China, Russia start naval drills, days after NATO says Beijing enables Ukraine War (VOA)

📌 Israel says Hamas commander killed in southern Gaza strike but fate of military chief unclear (CNN)

📌 Venice nets $2.2 million after launching tourism tax. Opponents say it failed to deter visitors (AP)

📌 Olympic flame arrives in Paris, at the center of Bastille Day parade (FRANCE 24)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Google reportedly in advanced talks to acquire cyber startup Wiz for $23 billion, its largest-ever deal (CNBC)

📌 3 Colorado poultry workers test presumptively positive for bird flu (CBS NEWS)

📌 2,400 Oregon hospital patients potentially exposed to HIV, hepatitis after physician broke protocol (USA TODAY)

📌 Hacker says AT&T paid about $400,000 to erase sensitive data (VERGE)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic in second sonsecutive Wimbledon final (TIME) Princess Kate attends Wimbledon men’s final in rare appearance since cancer diagnosis (NBC NEWS)

📌 Fitness guru Richard Simmons dead at 76 (ABC NEWS)

📌 Lawyer for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will seek to have her case dismissed after Alec Baldwin trial falls apart (NBC NEWS)

📌 'Dr. Ruth' Westheimer dies at 96 after decades of frank advice about sex (USA TODAY)

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🗓 ON THIS DAY: JULY 15

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• 1916: The Boeing Co. was founded in Seattle, but was originally known as Pacific Aero Products Co.

• 1988:’Die Hard’ starring Bruce Willis opened in theaters.

• 1998: 'There's Something About Mary' premiered in theaters

• 2005: ‘Wedding Crashers’ starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn opened in theater.