Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally after a major security lapse, an attack that will likely reshape this year’s US presidential race and fuel long-standing fears that the campaign could descend into political violence.

In the moments after the shooting, Trump was swarmed and covered up by his security agents. He quickly emerged, his face streaked with blood, and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the “subject involved” in what it termed an attempted assassination.

Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service seconds after he allegedly fired shots toward a stage where Trump was speaking.

Suspect details

State voter records show that Crooks, who lived an hour or so from Butler, was a registered Republican.

The upcoming November 5 election would have been the first time Crooks had been old enough to vote in a US presidential race.

Law enforcement officials said Crooks carried no identification to the site of the shooting and had to be identified using other methods.

Shooting condemned

Leading Republicans and Democrats condemned the violence.

“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Republican US Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas told Fox News his nephew had been wounded at the rally.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was horrified by what happened and was relieved Trump was safe.

“Political violence has no place in our country,” he said.

Secret Service under fire

The shooting raised immediate questions about security failures by the Secret Service, which provides former presidents including Trump with lifetime protection.

Trump supporters blasted the Secret Service, with billionaire Elon Musk calling for the agency’s leadership to resign.

“How was a sniper with a full rifle kit allowed to bear crawl onto the closest roof to a presidential nominee?” asked conservative activist Jack Posobiec on social media site X.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media the House will have “Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP.”

The Secret Service said shortly after the shooting that it had begun an investigation and briefed President Biden.

Eyewitness accounts

Attendee Ben Maser was outside the rally perimeter, listening to Trump, when he noticed two officers seemingly looking for someone. Maser started scanning the area too.

“I saw the guy on the roof. I told the officer that he was up there. He went about looking for him,” Maser said.

The attack is certain to lead to a review of Trump’s security, and he will likely be provided with a level of protection more akin to a sitting president, said Joseph LaSorsa, a former Secret Service agent who served on the presidential detail.

“There will be an intensive review” of the incident and “there’s going to be a massive realignment,” LaSorsa said. “This cannot happen.”

The Secret Service said in a statement that it had recently added “protective resources and capabilities” to Trump’s security detail, without providing further details.