Pennsylvania town grapples with assassination attempt ahead of Trump’s return

BUTLER, Pa. – Donald Trump is returning to Butler, the place where the world last saw him shake his fist and implore his followers to “fight on,” even as blood splattered on his face from a would-be assassin’s bullet.

In announcing his return, the former president and current Republican candidate said he plans to “celebrate a unifying vision for America’s future at an event the world has never seen before.”

The question is: Is Butler ready?

While many expected a large crowd to hear Trump speak at the Farm Show on July 13, where a bullet struck his right ear, there is a sense of concern around town, as well as a sense that Butler is still recovering.

“I’ve consulted with at least 500 people since this incident,” said Shanea Clancy, a registered nurse who runs a mental health counseling service in Butler County and has seen people become more anxious since the shooting. Some show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The real issue is ‘How did something like this happen in our backyard?'” Clancy said. “maybe,” he said. “People don’t expect trauma to show up at their door on any given day.”

assassination attempt It resonated deeply in the mountain community north of Pittsburgh. Trump has broad support here, easily doubling Hillary Clinton’s vote total on her way to winning the White House in 2016. He almost did it again in 2020 against Joe Biden. But Butler County was better for Democrats two years ago, during the party’s term as governor. candidate Josh Shapiro received nearly 43% of the vote there.

To claim Pennsylvania, the key state in November, Trump must: increase voter turnout A majority-white, Republican-voting rural-suburban community in conservative strongholds like Butler County.

Banking for better security

On Saturday, the former president will give a speech as thousands of people, including children, witnessed him and others being shot. Former Buffalo County Fire Company Chief Corey Comperatore was killed, while David Dutch and James Copenhaver were hospitalized with injuries. The U.S. Secret Service killed the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Afterwards, some stunned rallygoers held impromptu prayer groups as they walked back to their cars. It seemed like everyone in Butler County was either at the rally or knew someone who was.

Last weekend, retired food service worker Sally Sarvey was picking up Trump signs and a T-shirt from the Republican Party tent at a street festival in nearby Slippery Rock. He said he would “care” about witnessing Trump’s return this Saturday, but he is aware of what happened in July.

“Hopefully they’ll have more security moving faster,” Sarvey said.

There are visible signs of remaining tension. “Fight” graffiti echoing Trump’s words in the immediate aftermath of the attack began appearing around Butler County in the following two weeks. In some places, the word “fight” on the roads was countered with another spray-painted message: “love.”

Jim Hulings, chairman of the Butler County Republican Committee, said the assassination attempt has been the “No. 1 topic” talked about since July 13. He has so many questions about the shooting and subsequent investigations that he keeps a running list.

“There’s a lot of activity right now, people want answers,” Hulings said. “I’m definitely not a minority there. There are a lot of people asking questions.”

The attack ‘was a burden on all of us’

Police and emergency officials faced these questions: researchers looking at the shots state police, FBI And Congress. The county government responded to nearly 300 open records requests, five times as many as it normally receives in a year. Many are preparing for trials that could stretch for years.

“I’m not going to lie; it’s a burden on all of us,” Butler Emergency Services Director Steve Bicehouse said. “It wears you out. And it’s been a rough last few months.”

County Commissioner Kevin Boozel, the only Democrat to hold statewide elected office in Butler, said events two months ago raised some concerns about Saturday’s rally. The previous security failure was the main problem, but officials at the July event also struggled with extreme heat and humidity that kept emergency responders busy treating people in distress even before the shooting. Several people required hospital treatment.

Boozel said he received “a lot of emails saying, ‘Don’t leave him back here'” about Trump. “Because we’re not emotionally ready for it.”

Kathy Kline, a retired librarian who lives in Butler, said she supports Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race and feels that not enough attention is given to those who oppose Trump’s return. Kline belongs to the Facebook group “Butler PA Women for Kamala Harris,” which has grown to nearly 1,500 members in recent months.

“I personally would never be opposed to any political figure coming into our community and sharing their policies,” Kline said. “That’s the American way. But, you know, you have to come in with some respect and integrity and leave all the chaos and ugliness out of it.”

Barry Cummings’ cafe near the Farm Show grounds where the shooting occurred was briefly closed following the shooting. He immediately said that he was determined to reach people who did not share his political views.

“I tended to try to listen more than talk,” said Cummings, a registered Democrat. “He wanted to hear the feelings on the other side, and I think that brought us a little closer together.”

Moving forward by remembering the past

Republican Butler County commissioner Kim Geyer plans to attend the rally on Saturday, just as she did in July when she sat behind Trump.

“I have some mixed feelings about this, but I’m determined to move forward,” Geyer said. “I think people who might be more negatively affected will stay home. Those who want to feel the inspiration and energy from the Trump movement will also join in to support President Trump and let him finish what he started.”

Some Trump supporters are looking for ways to commemorate the assassination attempt. An artist is working on an 8-foot-tall statue of Trump in Butler, but it is not yet known where the statue might be installed. Another artist, Butler metalworker and Trump supporter Bill Secunda, spent two weeks reworking an existing life-size statue of Trump, with his right arm raised and fist clenched, to better reflect his reaction after the shooting.

Secunda and a friend quietly set up the camera in a tent at the Butler Farm Show in August, where it became popular for selfies. He has already received a $50,000 bid for the statue.

“I don’t even think I saw a sad look, which was kind of surprising because, you know, I lost clients for doing a piece like that,” Secunda said.

Meanwhile, the Butler Historical Society has postponed plans to collect local residents’ stories about the shooting until at least the spring. The organization is exploring how to keep the stories sealed for 75 years as planned.

Geyer said he expects Butleri supporters to find more ways to respect the victims.

“It was a tragic day and no one wishes this to happen or happen in their county,” Geyer said. “I believe the people who live and work here are resilient people. We will move forward.”