[Butler, PA] The California-based social media and political star known as “Brick Suit” told RedState he was in the front row when shots rang out today at President Donald J. Trump’s rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds. At the end of the rally, Trump was escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, clenching his fist as blood streamed from the side of his face.
“I was sitting in the front row watching President Trump give his speech and suddenly heard the sounds of snapping. I was hoping it was a prank, firecrackers or something,” said Brick Suit, who has attended about 40 Trump rallies across the country – and was greeted by the president and called to the stage.
“The whole range of emotions,” he said. “Personally, I was hopeful because when President Trump left, he seemed unyielding. He raised his fist, almost a defiant gesture, and that gave me hope.”
In a few days, Trump will become the Republican presidential candidate. The party convention begins on Monday in Milwaukee:
Got front row center seats at President Trump’s rally in Butler, PA!
Tried to post a video but I think the bandwidth is not enough.
It’s warm, but Trump will be even hotter! pic.twitter.com/78U0BPpfg9— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) July 13, 2024
Brick Suit, wearing a suit with a brick wall pattern, said two shots were fired.
“It happened again,” he said.
“When I turned back to the president – because when I heard the shots, they seemed to come from the left, or I heard the sounds that had to come from the left,” he said.
Brick Suit said he did not see the Secret Service or other law enforcement officers fire their weapons.
“I did not see any intelligence or rapid response teams that came into the podium area firing their weapons,” he said.
“They had their weapons drawn and were on high alert, but I did not see them firing any weapons,” he said.
“I looked to my left and then when I looked back up at the podium, I saw the president being taken care of,” he said.
“The secret service had rushed to the podium,” he said. “They were throwing their bodies at him,” he said. “I could hear them there talking as they tried to stabilize themselves [the situation]and I just tried to listen to what they were saying. I didn’t hear anything special.”
In his campaign statement after the shooting, Trump thanks the emergency services for their quick intervention during the “heinous act”https://t.co/xK2n179gwK
— RedState (@RedState) July 13, 2024
Brick Suit said he stood up to get a better view because he thought the shooting was over, but then returned to his seat while Trump stood on the stage floor.
“I don’t remember exactly what happened. I don’t think I jumped to the ground, but I probably crouched down and then got up to see what happened,” he said.
“I just thought, if there were shots, it wouldn’t be aimed at the crowd. It seemed to be over. I wasn’t as concerned about my safety at the time as I was about the president’s,” he said.
“They were holding him on the ground and preparing to move him,” he said. “I could hear them coordinating. I didn’t hear them calling for medical attention or anything like that.”
Instead of lifting the president, Secret Service agents apparently made him stand because Trump apparently wanted people to see that he was OK, he said.
“When President Trump stood up, I saw blood above his right ear, but I can’t tell if that was his blood or if someone might have been injured in the pushdown,” he said.
“The president looked shaken, but he stood there, and I would even say he was defiant, and he raised his fist and shook it,” he said.
“I couldn’t understand what he was saying,” he said. “But at that point I was optimistic that the worst case scenario wouldn’t happen.”
Brick Suit said that after the crowd left, individuals were simply allowed to leave the building without contacting law enforcement and security, leading him to believe that the shooter had been arrested or taken into custody.
When the shots rang out, Trump was speaking about immigration, and a vast diagram was displayed on the screen showing the flood of illegal immigrants that began when President Joseph R. Biden Jr. took office in January 2025.
Brick Suit said the mood at the rally was extremely positive.
There had been speculation that Trump might announce his candidate for the Republican vice presidential nomination, but nothing had happened so far.
Brick Suit: Crossfire hints at second shooter
“I didn’t see anyone else hurt, but I saw people in the stands and in the bleachers flanking the main stage taking care of people or making it appear like they were hurt,” Brick Suit said.
“It is possible that people in the left and right stands were hit by bullets, which could indicate that there are two shooters,” he said.
“It’s possible that the second volley of shots I heard came from someone from the Secret Service firing back.”
Related: Brick Suit tells RedState Noem’s support for Trump ‘puts everyone on alert’
