America is reeling from the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Mr Trump who escaped with only being shot in the ear was immediately pushed to safety by his security agents and rushed off the stage.
US Secret Service agents fatally shot the assailant named as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is said to have fired the shots from an elevated position outside the rally venue.
One person who was attending the rally was killed by the gunman and two other spectators were critically injured, the Secret Service said.
Moments after the shooting while he was being helped to safety by his security agents, Mr Trump could be seen with blood streaking down his face and pumping his fist in the air, urging his supporters to "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
No motive has been given for the attack on Mr Trump. A full investigation is being launched into the incident including the security cordon around the former President. His attacker Thomas Matthew Crooks is said to be a member of the Republican party.
According to media reports, one witness said they saw a man with a rifle outside the Trump rally and tried to point him out to police before he opened fire.
Mr Trump who was briefly hospitalised after the shooting is said to be 'doing well'.
He has issued a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social saying: "God alone" prevented "the unthinkable" from happening and called on Americans to "remain resilient" and show "our true character. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin," he wrote.
President Joe Biden along with new British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have been among the first to condemn the assassination attempt on Mr Trump, which they also see as an attack on America’s democracy.
Mr Biden said there was "no place in America for this. We must unite as one nation to condemn it. It's sick, it's sick. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this," he added.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “I am appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump’s rally and we send him and his family our best wishes. Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack.”
Meanwhile, former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have added their voices.
“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics,” Mr Obama said in a social media post.
Former president Bill Clinton stated: “Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process.”
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