Pennsylvania Republican describes ‘panic’ and ‘mayhem’ at Trump rally

Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) described a scene of “panic” and “mayhem” as gunshots rang out at former President Trump’s rally on Saturday, where he was in attendance.

Meuser, who represents Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District, said he was sitting to the right of Trump, along with Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and David McCormick, the GOP nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania.

“I’m fine,” Meuser told The Hill in a phone call. “I am okay.”

He said eight to 10 shots rang out five or six minutes into the speech.

“People were panicked, of course. Secret Service went to work quickly, and it was just a tragic scene,” he added.

Meuser said attendees at the rally were yelling and “hitting the deck” as the apparent gunshots rang out. He recalled someone in his section being hit, and said some people were crying.

“People ducking, people hitting the deck, Secret Service coming out, telling everybody to get down. A panic and sadness,” Meuser said. “A lot of people were just crying because they were afraid the president got shot.”

“We had someone, people calling for a medic because somebody else was shot right within the zone that I was in,” he added. “So it was mayhem.”

As what sounded like gunshots rang out at the rally, Trump appeared to grab his ear before dropping behind the lectern, and Secret Service agents swarmed on top of him. They surrounded him as he stood up, and he put a fist up to the crowd as they led him off stage. Blood could be seen on his ear.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said the president was “fine” after the incident and “being checked out at a local medical facility.”