Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of Saturday’s failed assassination attempt of former US President Donald Trump is forever changed. Tyler Friel is a lifelong resident of the town and is also the News Director at Butler Radio. He was at the Butler Farm Show Grounds when the shots were fired.
Things happened quickly once he and the crowd realized it was in fact gunfire. He ducked and saw many others duck. After that he saw first-hand as the secret service took Trump to the ground and protected him with their bodies. Not long after Trump was ushered to the safety of his motorcade. Friel says Butler is a town that many of our listeners can relate to. It’s a small community. Everyone knows each other and violence is quite rare.
When Friel, other media and Americans who traveled to watch Trump speak entered the grounds, he says security was tight.
It was quiet as people filed out. By this time they knew the 20 year shooter identified as Matthew Crooks had been shot and killed by the Secret Service. As they left, many were trying to figure out what had just happened. As for what the shooting means for the race for the White House, Friel says he expects Trump’s supporters will use the attempt on his life as a rallying cry.
As for Butler, Friel says the town is largely republican. But true to close-community form they don’t let political stripes divide them. Not lost on anyone in attendance was the death of a man, and the two others who were seriously hurt by the bullets shot at the former president.
The man who died dove on top of his family to protect them from the gunfire. Cory Comperatore was a firefighter remembered as a hero for his career and his last moments of life. Butler is now changed according to Friel. Not since the attempt on then President Ronald Regan’s life in 1981 has something like this happened. He reiterated that no one in their community would have ever expected something like this to happen there.
US President Joe Biden took to X and posted the following after the attempt, “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information… …There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to X as well, commenting, “I’m sickened by the shooting at former President Trump. It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also responded, “I condemn in the strongest of terms the attempted murder of former President Trump today. I am relieved he is safe. My prayers are with other innocent people harmed or killed by this heinous act. I am also happy that the suspected shooter is dead. Democracy must prevail.”
(Photo – Tyler Friel Butler Radio)
Written by: B. Perrault