Donald Trump assassination attempt: Shocking photo shows bullet flying past ex-president's head before wounding him

Retired FBI agent examines photo of bullet near Trump's head, suggests multiple shots fired. AR-15-style rifle discovered at scene.

In a shocking moment captured during Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, a photograph has surfaced showing a bullet flying perilously close to the former president's head, moments before it grazed his ear. The attack was accidentally documented by New York Times photographer Doug Mills, who was present at the rally to cover Trump's speech when it turned into a life-threatening situation for the Republican leader.

Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, is helped off the stage by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Bullet whizzes past Trump at Pennsylvania rally

Amid widespread support for the Presumptive Republican presidential nominee, a few critics of Trump dismissed the attack as fabricated. However, a photo captured by Doug Mills clearly shows a bullet narrowly missing Trump's ear. It definitely looks like a very close call.

Trump later discussed the incident, confirming that the bullet grazed the "upper part" of his right ear, on his Truth Social post. Earlier, Trump's spokesperson assured the public that he was "fine" and receiving medical attention, however, he will continue with his next RNC scheduled in Milwaukee.

“It absolutely could be showing the displacement of air due to a projectile,” That's what Michael Harrigan thinks about the high-resolution picture caught on camera. He used to work for the FBI for 22 years and is a retired special agent. “The angle seems a bit low to have passed through his ear, but not impossible if the gunman fired multiple rounds,” he told NY Times in an interview after analysing the photograph from close. Moreover, law enforcement found an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle at the scene when they shot down the attacker believed to be the gunman.

Trump’s security was warned before the attack

After the Secret Service took down the attacker, the FBI took over to investigate the motive. Trump was rushed to a local hospital right after the security shielded him from gunfire, making him take cover behind the podium as nine shots rang out. The special agents escorted him off stage, and as he left, he raised his fist to the crowd and mouthed “fight, fight.”

In a BBC interview, a witness claimed to have seen the attacker crawling up next to a nearby roof. The person stated that he alerted the police and Secret Service multiple times. “We noticed a guy bear crawling up the roof of the building beside us, probably 50 feet away," the man told BBC. So we're pointing at the guy crawling up the roof…he had a rifle; we could clearly see him with a rifle."