Biden says ‘no place in America for this kind of violence’ and has been calling Trump after shooting

President Joe Biden said every American must condemn political violence after Donald Trump was injured during a shooting at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

The former president was rushed from the stage soon after he began to speak, with blood running down his face, by his Secret Service detail who bundled him into a waiting motorcade. Trump’s campaign said that is he “fine” and being “checked out a local medical facility.”

One person was killed at the rally, Butler County District Attorney told AP. Another spectator is in serious condition, according to CNN.

Secret Service agents killed the suspected shooter, who was outside the rally when the shots were fired, according to law enforcement officials. The shooting is being considered an assassination attempt.

Speaking from a convention center at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Biden said he has been “thoroughly briefed by all the agencies in the federal government” on the situation and that he’s attempted to get ahold of Trump but had been unsuccessful, because he was “with his doctors.”

Biden said he plans on speaking with Trump’s doctors as well, and said there was “no place in America for this kind of violence.”

“It’s sick,” he said. “It’s sick.”

Biden said the incident at the rally demonstrates one of the reasons why “we have to united this country” and said Americans “cannot allow for this to be happening.”

“We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this,” he said.

“The bottom line is that the Trump rally was a rally that he should have been able to be conducted peacefully, without any problem … the idea that there’s political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of. It’s just not appropriate. And we, everybody, everybody must condemn it,” the president said.

Biden also told reporters he would make it known if and when he is able to speak with Trump, and said he will be receiving an updated briefing shortly.

Biden’s remarks came not long after he and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the shooting.

According to a White House official, Biden received a briefing from Kimberly Cheatle, director of the US Secret Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and his Homeland Security Adviser, Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall.

Biden is at his beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Saturday and received an initial briefing on the shooting shortly after leaving Mass at St. Edmond’s Roman Catholic Church.

Separately, the Office of the Vice President said Harris received what they described as an “initial briefing” at her official residence in Washington, shortly after she returned from a campaign stop in Philadelphia.

In a statement, Harris said that she and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are “relieved” that Trump was “not seriously injured.”

“We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting,” she said.

Harris added that she and Emhoff were “grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action” and said violent acts such as the shooting at the Trump rally have “no place in our nation.”

The former president was just moments into speech at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally venue when loud pops were heard to the left of the stage. 

Trump turned his head in the direction of the sound and appeared to have been struck by something near his ear. He then quickly dropped to the ground as the crowd began screaming and running.

Within seconds, Secret Service agents tackled the former president to the ground and formed a barricade around him, shuffling off stage to safety. He was bundled into a waiting SUV by his security detail, with his fist raised. His motorcade left the rally venue at speed.

Steven Cheung, communications director for Trump’s presidential campaign, said in a statement that Trump is “fine” and being “checked out a local medical facility” after he was tackled, then hustled off stage at the rally by members of his Secret Service detail after gunshots rang out while he was speaking.

Cheung added that Trump “thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act.”