US Olympic team coach Steve Kerr has denounced the shooting at a campaign rally of former President Donald Trump as a “shameful” and “demoralizing” day in American history.
A gunman attempted to assassinate Trump, 78, while he was speaking on stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, with a bullet grazed Trump's ear, but Secret Service agents rushed to the stage to protect him.
Although the historic incident took place thousands of miles away from where the USA Basketball Team is preparing for the upcoming Paris Olympics, Kerr spoke out about the incident at a press conference.
“I'm very proud to be wearing the American flag on my chest and representing my country in the Olympic Games,” Kerr told reporters.
“I've spoken to our players about how important it is for them to look their best as human beings, to represent our country with respect and dignity. It makes me want to do that even more because it's really embarrassing for us to sit here and think about what's happened and what's going on in our country.”
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For Carr, the shocking incident likely brought back tragic memories of his own past: his father, Malcolm, was assassinated in Beirut in 1984 while serving as president of the American University of Beirut.
“This is a demoralizing day for our country. This is another example of not only the political division in our country, but also our gun culture,” Carr added. “A 20-year-old with an AR-15 is trying to shoot a former president.”
“It's hard to comprehend it all and it's scary to think what this could lead to given the problems that already exist in the country. So it's a terrible day.”
“I'm really glad Trump wasn't attacked, but it's really demoralizing in every sense of the word.”
On Sunday morning, the FBI identified the suspected shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a Republican who had donated to Joe Biden.
Her father, Matthew Crooks, 53, told CNN he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but “I'm not going to say anything until I've spoken to the police.”
Crooks fired at least eight shots from a rooftop just 130 yards from where Trump, 78, was addressing thousands of fans on stage at Butler at 6:15 p.m.
A law enforcement source told CBS News that Crooks, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was carrying an “AR-style rifle.”
During the attack, the suspect appeared to be wearing promotional merchandise for Demolition Ranch, one of YouTube's most popular gun-focused channels, according to NBC News.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek said Crooks had no identification on him so he was identified using DNA.
State voter records show Crooks was a registered Republican, and US media reports that when he was 17, he donated $15 to the liberal political action committee Act Blue on January 20, 2021, the day of Biden's inauguration.
The fatal shooting left one person in the crowd dead and two others in critical condition, all three men, police said.
Trump was seen bloody and injured during the assassination attempt, crouching on the floor and clutching his ears as a loud explosion rang out and he suddenly passed by.
Secret Service agents surrounded the 45th President of the United States as high-pitched screams erupted from the MAGA crowd.
He then stood up with blood streaming from his cheek, pumped his fist in the air and defiantly yelled “Fight!” The crowd chanted “USA!” as he was dragged off the stage and shoved into a car.
