Justin Trudeau and other Canadian leaders respond to apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump

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The shooting at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday is being investigated as an assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump.

According to CNN, the shooter was killed by Secret Service Agents protecting Trump. One rally attendee is also dead after the shooter fired multiple shots, and two others are critically injured.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening,” wrote Trump on his social media platform Truth Social.

This is the first time a former or current US president or presidential candidate was injured in an attempted assassination attempt since the 1981 shooting of Ronald Reagan.

In a statement posted onto his X account, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he is “sickened” by the incident.

“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.”

Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada leader, asserted the incident is an affront to democracy.

“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,” wrote Poilievre on X.

New Democratic Party (NDP) of Canada leader Jagmeet Singh added, “There is no room for violence at any political event. We must all stand united against political violence wherever it happens.”

“My thoughts are with former President Trump and his family, as well as with the other victims of this shooting. And my gratitude to the law enforcement members and first responders who prevented further deaths,” wrote Singh on X.

Some of the leaders of Canada’s largest provinces also issued their own statements on X.

“Political violence has no place in a democracy. I’m thankful that former President Trump is safe and my thoughts are with our friends south of the border who have been shaken by this terrible incident,” wrote Ontario premier Doug Ford.

British Columbia premier David Eby added, “[I’m] deeply concerned to see Donald Trump shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania. No matter your politics, the attempted assassination of a former president and presidential candidate is horrific. The people of British Columbia abhor political violence in all of its forms.”

Similarly, Alberta premier Danielle Smith stated, “I was shocked and horrified at the attempted assassination today of former President Donald Trump. I am relieved he is safe and my thoughts are with him, his family, and the families of those harmed or killed by this sickening act of political violence.”

In a briefing to the press, US President Joe Biden condemned the political violence, reiterated the need to unite the country, and said he has been trying to reach out to Trump directly as of Saturday evening.

“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this,” said Biden from a podium.

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

The shooting incident comes just ahead of the start of the US Republican Party’s National Convention on Monday, July 15, 2024 in Wisconsin.

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