Donald Trump is assisted by guards after shots were fired. Photo: OSV News/Brendan McDermid, Reuters. A Catholic priest who gave a benediction during former president Donald Trump’s rally Saturday told people they needed to pray for Trump moments before Trump was shot and wounded.
Fr Jason Charron, a Ukrainian Catholic pastor, told CNA a group of about 15 to 20 people called him over to a barricade within the rally site as he was trying to leave shortly before Trump began speaking.
“I said to them: I prayed for him and his safety, but that they have to pray, as well, because there are people who want to kill him,” Charron said in a telephone interview with CNA late Saturday night.
“And little did I think – literally a few minutes later there was this kind of indistinct sound, and people began leaving, and at that point I heard someone saying that that was a gunshot.”
A gunman trying to kill Trump fired several times at the former president, hitting the top of his right ear while killing a spectator and wounding two more, authorities said.
Charron said he met briefly with Trump before the former president went out to address the crowd at the rally, which took place in an outdoor venue at Butler Farm Show in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
“I spoke with him regarding the situation in Ukraine and shook his hand. It wasn’t a very in-depth conversation,” Charron said.