Donald Trump rushed off stage after gunshots at Pennsylvania rally

Donald Trump has been rushed off the stage at a rally in Pennsylvania after gunshots rang through the crowd.

Mr Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing out at the event in Butler.

Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.

The ex-president could be seen reaching with his right hand towards his neck and there appeared to be blood on his face.

As the first pop rang out, Mr Trump said, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear as two more pops could be heard and he crouched down.

He quickly ducked as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to him.

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist before he was taken to his motorcade which left the venue.

Spokesman Steven Cheung said later that Mr Trump is “fine” and “thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act”.

“He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The Secret Service said in a statement that “the former president is safe”.

Police began vacating the site in Butler shortly after Mr Trump left the stage.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident, the White House said, after leaving Mass in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He is expected to address the country on the shooting.

Biden said he was praying for Mr Trump, adding: “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement: “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. We should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, said: “All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot.

“There’s lots of blood, and then the Secret Service were all over President Trump.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, that he was praying for Mr Trump.

Pennsylvania’s Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and Pennsylvania state police were on hand at the rally site.

“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.