HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Pennsylvania’s Ninth Congressional District Representative Dan Meuser provided his reaction to the apparent assassination attempt that took place on presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Meuser was alongside U.S. Senate Candidate Dave McCormick in the first row when gunshots rang out.

“As Dave [McCormick] said, six or seven minutes into [Trump’s] remarks, we heard rapid gunfire,” Meuser said. “Dave and I were standing right next to each other thinking ‘What’s that?’ But after two to three shots, it was clear.”

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Breaking News

Meuser mentioned that Trump wanted McCormick to speak at the rally, but before he reached the podium, Trump said “Ah, give it a few minutes,” and continued with his speech.

When asked about McCormick’s suggestion to “turn the temperature down” regarding avoiding divisive rhetoric in future political discussions, Meuser said, “We can say what we mean but we don’t have to say it mean. We can have a conversation without demonizing. We can stay within the bounds of policy discussions and have open discourse. I completely agree with Dave, it needs to be cooled down.”

Meuser also expressed his relief after the Secret Service was able to eliminate the alleged shooter, adding “Frankly, I’m glad they took him out. If somebody’s gonna try to do something outrageous like this, they can pay the ultimate price, and that’s what happened.”

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.