Idaho officials react to shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally. What they said. - East Idaho News
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Idaho officials react to shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally. What they said.

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Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surround by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. | Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surround by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., Saturday. | Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press
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BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Idaho officials offered their support and reactions after a shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania. The New York Times and other news outlets have reported that a gunman and one attendee at the Butler rally were dead, and dramatic photos from the event showed Trump surrounded by suit-clad Secret Service agents, his fist in the air and blood on his ear. A spokesman said Trump was safe, The Times reported.

“America needs our candidates to be able to campaign safely,” Gov. Brad Little wrote on the social media platform X. “This is a sad day. Prayers for President Trump and praise for our Secret Service.”

In a follow-up tweet, Little wrote that he was praying for Trump, Trump’s family and “our nation.”

Others echoed the concern about political violence.

U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson said on X that resorting to violence is never acceptable. “Words should always supersede our actions,” Simpson said.

His Republican colleague U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo called the act “un-American.”

The other members of the Idaho congressional delegation also addressed the situation, with Rep. Russ Fulcher saying “Justice will come” on social media and Sen. Jim Risch calling what happened “horrific.”

Idaho Falls City Council member John Radford wrote on Facebook, “Political violence is never the answer! I hope President Trump is fine and recovers quickly.”

Meridian City Council Member Luke Cavener agreed on X that political violence of any kind was unacceptable. “The perpetrators need to be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent,” Cavener wrote. “No mercy, no leniency.”

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said in an emailed statement that “we cannot let our country be torn apart by political violence.”

“We owe it to those who have sacrificed so much for our nation, to preserve our freedoms for the next generation and generations to come,” Labrador said. “We must rededicate ourselves to civility even in the midst of passionate disagreement.“

Ada County Republican Commissioners Rod Beck and Ryan Davidson sent a joint statement, saying, “We encourage everyone to take this moment to reflect on the state of our nation and consider how we can work together to peacefully address and mend the issues within our system.”

And Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick wrote on X that the behavior was “inexcusable.”

“No one should ever be threatened or their life put on the line in any circumstances for serving in politics in our country,” Chadwick wrote. “We are better than this. It should not matter what political world you live in everyone should come together in prayer.”

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