Donald Trump is heading back to where the world last saw Butler, his fist raised, imploring his supporters to fight, his face covered in blood from a would-be assassin’s bullet. .
In announcing his return, the former president and current Republican candidate said he intended to celebrate a unified vision for America’s future with an event unlike anything the world has seen before.
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The question is, is Butler ready?
Many expected the large audience at the Farm Show venue where a bullet grazed his right ear on July 13 to hear President Trump’s retort, but Butler was still seen in the streets. There are also voices of concern as well as concerns about the healing process.
Shanea Clancy, a registered nurse who runs a mental health consulting service in Butler County, said she has consulted with at least 500 people since the shooting and said she has seen more anxiety since the shooting. He said he had seen it. Some people show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The big question is, “How could something like that happen in our backyard?” Clancy said. People don’t expect trauma to suddenly show up at their door one day.
The assassination attempt deeply resonated in the mountain community north of Pittsburgh. Trump enjoys wide support in the state, easily doubling Hillary Clinton’s vote total on the way to winning the White House in 2016. In 2020, he nearly did it again against Joe Biden. But Butler County was favorable to Democrats in the same party’s gubernatorial race two years ago. Candidate Josh Shapiro received about 43% of the vote there.
To win Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state in November, Trump needs to boost turnout in conservative strongholds like Butler County. Butler County is a rural, suburban community that is overwhelmingly white and has a history of voting Republican.
Count on better security
The former president, who witnessed him and others being shot by thousands of people, including children, is scheduled to speak on Saturday. Former Buffalo Township Fire Chief Corey Comperatore was killed, and David Dutch and James Copenhaver were hospitalized with injuries. The U.S. Secret Service killed the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20.
Stunned by the aftermath, some rally participants held an impromptu prayer group on the way back to their cars. It appears almost everyone in Butler County was at the rally or knows someone who was.
Last weekend, former food service worker Sally Servey was picking up Trump signs and T-shirts from a Republican tent at a street festival in nearby Slippery Rock. She said she’s definitely going to witness President Trump’s return this Saturday, but with what happened in July in mind.
Hopefully, we’ll have more security that works more quickly, Survey said.
There are visible signs of stress. Over the next two weeks, combat graffiti that echoed President Trump’s words immediately after the shooting began appearing around Butler County. In some places, the words “roadway fight” were countered by another spray-painted message: love.
Jim Hughlings, chairman of the Butler County Republican Committee, said the assassination attempt has been the top story since July 13. He is making a running list because he still has many questions about the shooting and the subsequent investigation.
Hulings said there’s a lot of activity going on right now and people want answers. I’m definitely not in the minority there. There are a lot of people asking questions.
The shooting was a burden on all of us.”
Police and emergency officials are facing questions from state police, the FBI and investigators investigating the Capitol shooting. County government has responded to about 300 public records requests to date, five times the number of requests it normally receives in a year. Many are bracing for litigation that could last years.
Butler Emergency Services Director Steve Beishaus said he’s not going to lie: “This is a burden on all of us.” It comes down to you. And the past few months have been testing times.
County Commissioner Kevin Bouzel, Butler County’s only Democrat elected in a countywide election, said events from two months ago have some concerned about Saturday’s rally. While the previous security failure is the biggest problem, authorities were also dealing with extreme heat and humidity during the July event, which kept emergency workers treating victims even before the shooting. Several people required hospital treatment.
Mr. Boozell said President Trump has sent him numerous emails saying, “Please don’t let him come back here.” Because we’re not emotionally ready for it.
Kathy Klein, a former librarian who lives in Butler, said she supports Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race, but she feels there isn’t enough consideration given to those who oppose Trump’s return. Klein is part of the Facebook group Butler PA Women for Kamila Harris, which has grown to about 1,500 members in recent months.
Personally, I’m never opposed to politicians coming into our communities and sharing their policies, Klein said. That’s the American way. But, you know, you have to go in with some respect and integrity and leave all of the chaos and ugliness out of it.
Barry Cummings’ Coffee Shop, located near the Farm Show property where the shooting occurred, was closed for a time after the shooting. Shortly after, he said, he decided to reach out to people who didn’t share his political views.
Cummings, a registered Democrat, said I tended to listen more than I spoke. He wanted to hear how it felt on the other side, and I think that brought us a little closer.
moving forward while remembering the past
Republican Butler County Commissioner Kim Geyer plans to attend Saturday’s rally, just as she did in July when she sat behind President Trump.
Geyer said he has mixed feelings, but is determined to move forward. I think people who could be more negatively affected will stay home. And those who want to feel the inspiration and energy from the Trump movement will join us to support President Trump and finish what he started.
Some Trump supporters are looking for ways to commemorate the assassination attempt. An artist is working on a 9-foot-tall sculpture of President Trump in Butler, but it’s unclear where it will be installed. Another artist, Butler metalworker and Trump supporter Bill Secunda, spent two weeks replacing an existing life-size statue of Trump with his right arm raised and his fist clenched to better reflect his reaction after he was shot. I took it and remade it.
Secunda and a friend quietly set it up in a tent at the Butler Farm Show in August, where it became popular for selfies. He already has an offer of $50,000 for the sculpture.
I don’t think I was looked at in a negative way, but I lost customers because I made something like that, so it was a little surprising,” Secunda said.
Meanwhile, the Butler Historical Society has postponed plans to collect local residents’ stories about the shooting until at least spring. The organization is considering ways to keep the story sealed for 75 years, as planned.
Geyer said he hopes Butlerites will find additional ways to pay their respects to the victims.
It’s a tragic day and no one wants that to happen or happen in their county, Geyer said. I think the people who live and work here are resilient people. We will move forward.