Shots were fired from an AK-47 style rifle on the grounds of former US President Donald Trump’s golf course in Palm Beach, Florida, where he was. The Republican candidate is “safe”, his party campaign said.
US Vice President and Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Kamala Harris said that she has been “briefed on reports of gunfire near former President Trump and his property in Florida. I am glad he is safe.” Ms Harris said, “There is no place for violence in America.”
I am informed of the reports of gunfire near former President Trump and his estate in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. There is no place for violence in America.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) September 15, 2024
The US Secret Service, the organisation responsible for protecting current and former presidents, accompanied Mr Trump – a protocol followed by the team.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but the incident came nearly two months after a failed assassination attempt on Mr Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a shooter fired a 5.56 mm bullet from an AR-15-style rifle from a rooftop, grazed his ear and left him with blood on his face.
The US Secret Service admitted it failed to protect the former president at an election rally in Pennsylvania on July 13.
The Secret Service takes full responsibility for the tragic events of July 13. This was a mission failure. Our agency’s sole responsibility is to ensure that our protected people are never placed in danger. We failed to do that at Butler. And I am working to ensure that this failure does not happen again,” said Ronald Rowe, Acting Director of the U.S. Secret Service.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will contest fiercely against each other in the presidential elections to be held in November this year.
The event in Florida came just days after the first presidential debate between the rival candidates, in which Ms Harris “trumped” Donald Trump and a majority of those who watched the debate said Harris performed better than Trump, according to a CNN flash poll released shortly after the debate. YouGov showed that 54% of those surveyed said Harris won while 31% said Trump was the winner.
