Trump rally shooter had explosives in his car, home: US media

BUTLER, UNITED STATES: The gunman who allegedly opened fire at former US president Donald Trump during a rally had explosives in his car and home, US media reported Sunday, as investigators probed the attempted assassination of the Republican presidential candidate.

The Wall Street Journal and CNN said that explosive materials were found in a car belonging to shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, which was reportedly parked near the campaign event venue in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The car driven by the suspected shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was parked near the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, the newspaper reported.

The publication and ABC News both reported that the gun Crooks used was purchased by his father.

The incident was being investigated as an assassination attempt.

Trump, who is again a candidate for US presidential elections, was attacked at a polls campaign rally. He was shot in the ear, streaking the Republican's blood across his face and prompting his security agents to swarm him, before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

As identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the shooter was a 20-year-old named Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was shot and killed by the Secret Service right after he fired multiple shots towards Trump.

The US Secret Service said in a statement that the shooter "fired multiple shots towards the stage from an elevated position outside the rally" before being "neutralised" by agents.

"I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear," Trump said later on his Truth Social platform following the shooting in Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh.

"Much bleeding took place." However, the Trump campaign said he was "doing well."

The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos show the two locked in a close contest.

Biden said in a statement: "There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it."

Additional input from Reuters