Tennessee lawmaker weighs in on attempted assassination of former President Trump

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Less than ten seconds of terror consumed a Pennsylvania town during a rally for former President Donald Trump on Saturday.

Authorities say a 20-year-old shooter opened fire, hitting Trump in the ear, killing one, and injuring two others.

“I get a text message that President Trump has been shot,” House Majority Whip Rep. Johnny Garrett said. “I thought that was some cruel joke.”

Rep. Garrett says although shots rang out in Pennsylvania, the effects of what happened are felt nationwide.

“You just pray for the country, you pray for the Trump family, you pray for those families that were impacted by this event that I think people are not going to forget,” Rep. Garrett said.

The shooter’s motives are unknown, President Biden confirmed an active investigation in an address to the nation Sunday night.

“The next thing on my mind, no kidding, was that bullet went somewhere,” Rep. Garrett said.

Authorities say 50-year-old Corey Comperatore was the man killed. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says Comperatore dove over his wife and daughter to shield them when the bullets started flying.

Two other people were shot but are stable as of Sunday night, authorities say.

“Every day we face politics that has gotten so vitriol,” Rep. Garrett said. “The shock that I felt, the worry I felt, I believe for some is going to turn into anger, of what do we do now as a country?”

Rep. Garrett says the political climate in the U.S. needs to cool off, similar words echoed hours later by President Biden in his address to the nation.

While some of Rep. Garrett’s colleagues expressed concern for the former President on social media, others took the opportunity to question the reality of what happened, or even point the finger at the opposing party.

Rep. Garrett says no matter party lines, no one should face violence in the political community.

“I hope we can heal from what the country witnessed yesterday,” Rep. Garrett said. “Love [or] hate Donald Trump, nobody deserves that.”

Former President Trump is slated to be in Nashville for the 2024 Bitcoin conference at the Music City Center from July 25-27.

Conference organizers said they are evaluating security measures and will be releasing more details soon.

They also confirmed the former president’s attendance in person.

Along with Trump, fellow presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. will also be speaking at the event.

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