Reaction continues to pour in nationwide following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Political leaders from North Texas are among those sharing their thoughts on how the incident in Butler County will impact the country ahead of Election Day.
The shooting at a Trump rally on Saturday, the first attack on a current or former US president in over four decades, resulted in the death of one bystander and left two others critically injured.
NBC News reported on Monday that investigators found over a dozen guns at the home of the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks. Despite accessing Crooks’s phone, authorities have not determined a motive for the assassination attempt.
“It’s still shocking and stunning,” remarked Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare. “The loss of life is especially tragic.”
O’Hare disclosed his plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week. He emphasized the need to temper political rhetoric nationwide, a sentiment he anticipated former President Trump would echo when accepting the party’s nomination.
“Enough is enough. We’re all Americans, let’s come together,” O’Hare urged. “I believe that’s the message you’ll hear and one that will resonate strongly.”
Congressman Marc Veasey, a Democratic representative for TX-33, also condemned the attack, stressing the importance of fostering civil political discourse.
“We must ensure our republic allows for diverse opinions without resorting to violence,” Veasey asserted.
Reflecting on recent discussions within the Democratic Party, Veasey indicated that Joe Biden remains the likely presidential nominee for 2024.
“I don’t foresee a change. Biden will likely continue, and we’ll see a repeat of 2020 with Trump versus Biden,” Veasey stated.
O’Hare intends to address the need for more respectful political discussions at Tuesday’s commissioners’ court meeting in Tarrant County.
