- Butler, PA grapples with political violence
- Trump rally marred by assassination attempt
- Governor Shapiro urges nonviolent advocacy
On Sunday, the small community of Butler, Pennsylvania, was having to come to grips with being the scene of a significant attempted US political assassination amidst tight security and closed roadways.
Many people attended church to try to make sense of what had happened. Father Kevin Fazio once asked the congregation jammed into pews to “pray for our nation,” but most of his flock appeared humbled by the violence coming to town.
The Butler Farm Show fairgrounds, less than a quarter of a mile away, remains a crime scene, as do the gantries that hang massive stars and stripes and concert-sized speakers over Donald Trump’s rallies, and the roof of AGR Industries, from which a gunman fired on the former president, is visible.
Many Butler residents reported feeling badly affected. A farming community 20 miles north of Pittsburgh is typical of rural Trump country. Farms are being sold for new housing developments, but the roads into town are still littered with farm stands and billboards promoting Christian values: “In a world where you can be anything – be kind,” read one.
However, Butler has become a symbol of America’s occasional outbreaks of political violence.
Trump rallies have historically been carnivals, combining politics, expression of shared rightwing ideals, and entertainment. This changed on Saturday evening when gunfire rang out. The former US president groped for his ear, ducked behind the stage, and was surrounded by Secret Service officials, only to reappear seconds later, bloodied, fist in the air, and mouthing: “Fight! Fight!”
An elderly guy stopped by a Sunoco gas station near the fairgrounds for coffee and a breakfast sandwich, saying he trusted his son-in-law Greg Smith, who claimed witnessing the shooter execute a bear crawl around the rooftop with a rifle in hand.
“He was yelling at the shooter, causing him to fire sooner and miss his mark while the police were doing nothing,” he added, recalling his experience as a deer hunter, where the presence of mind was essential to aim and fire accurately.
Another store employee who had attended the event stated that the shooting did not provoke fear in the crowd since many people thought the gunshots were firecrackers going off. But panic set in when a segment of the crowd, unaware of the gunshot, pushed back on those at the front attempting to evacuate.
“People were falling on top of each other,” he told me. “The elderly who had fallen were unable to get up, and the children were screaming. My family is really shaken up.”
Another man, Randy, commented that it was a godsend that a July heatwave had kept many people away from the fair and that there had not been a stampede. However, he stated that “you’re going to get a crazy doing something crazy” due to the country’s political climate.
“The rhetoric in this country is awful. “It has to stop,” he stated.
The Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, travelled to Butler to express condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief in a nearby township who was killed in the incident while attempting to shelter his daughters from gunfire.
Shapiro urged Americans to “be firm” and “advocate for” their values while remaining nonviolent. “Every day when I’m out in Pennsylvania, I see the best of Pennsylvanians,” the politician stated. “Those who love their neighbors even if they have differences.”
The district attorney of Butler County, Richard Goldinger, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “It’s embarrassing that this would happen here. An assassination attempt on a president has not occurred in almost 40 years.
Others cited security flaws ahead of Trump’s presence on stage. Evan, a young man who said he did not support Trump, said security at the fairgrounds had been discussed around town for days before the event, particularly the vulnerability of the nearby buildings.
“The Secret Service dropped the ball big time,” he told me.
Bobbie Barbary, who was coming through from South Bend, Indiana, had a different viewpoint: “America has a disease—resentment, hatred, and racism,” he stated.
“Take a step towards financial freedom – claim your free Webull shares now!”
Butler may spell the end of Trump’s freewheeling roadshow, and his campaign rallies must be regulated for his and others’ protection. However, 12 hours earlier, the Butler Eagle newspaper projected Trump’s campaign trip would be “an opportunity to put a small town on the map in a contentious presidential election.
According to the paper, the rally in Butler, two days before the Republican convention in Milwaukee, would be a return to a different, older style of campaigning, going to where the voters are, in this case, a farm show, and focusing on increasing support among undecided voters, which Trump needs to carry the state in November.
However, in the aftermath of the shooting, others saw Saturday’s events as a hint that certain aspects of modern American political life should be kept at a distance. The alleged gunman, who came from an upscale suburb just 30 miles (48 kilometres) away, had not only a firearm but also explosives in his car and home.
However, the exact motive remains unknown. Crooks was a Republican who gave just a tiny amount to progressive causes. His social media footprint was limited and revealed little about his opinions.
“It’s America,” commented a local farmers’ market cashier. “All kinds of crazy people out there.”
