Nearly two weeks after the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life, there is still no official report on what caused the wound on his right ear. This lack of information has led to speculation about whether he was hit by a bullet or something else. However, a detailed analysis by The New York Times suggests that Trump was grazed by a bullet fired by Thomas Crooks.
The analysis includes bullet trajectories, footage, photos, and audio that indicate Trump was hit by the first of eight bullets fired by the shooter. Subsequent bullets injured two rally attendees and killed another. Trump himself has mentioned being hit by a bullet, but no official medical reports have been released by his campaign or current physician. Instead, a memo from Trump’s former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, stated that Trump was struck by a bullet on his right ear.
The Secret Service, responsible for event security, has not commented on the incident. The FBI is examining metal fragments found near the stage to determine if a bullet grazed Trump’s head. A crucial piece of evidence is a live video feed showing Trump’s reaction to the gunshots. Trump is seen reaching for his ear after the first shot, and his fingers are bloodied as soon as he touches his ear.
The analysis suggests that the first bullet hit Trump and then struck bleachers off to his left, where supporters were standing. Another video shows the impact point of the shot beside a rally attendee, David Dutch. Dutch appears to have been injured by the second shot, and a third bullet hit a crane near him. A 3-D model of the rally grounds shows the positions of the shooter and Trump, indicating a straight trajectory from the shooter to the bleachers.
The shooter fired a total of eight shots before being killed by Secret Service snipers. Investigators found eight shell casings around the shooter’s body on a warehouse roof. One bullet injured James Copenhaver in the abdomen, and another killed Corey Comperatore. Comperatore was seen standing upright and filming with his cellphone when the shots were fired. The security lapses that allowed the shooter to fire unimpeded are under investigation, and the director of the Secret Service has resigned.
The incident has raised questions about event security and the safety of public figures. It is crucial for authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to prevent similar incidents in the future. The safety of all individuals attending public events should be a top priority for organizers and security personnel.
