Gunfire erupted at a rally of former U.S. President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday evening, sparking panic in the crowd and spattering the Republican presidential candidate with blood.

As the shots rang out, Trump grabbed his right ear with his right hand, then brought his hand down to look at it before dropping to his knees behind the podium and Secret Service agents swarmed around and covered him. He emerged about a minute later, with his red "Make America Great Again" hat knocked off. He could be heard saying "wait, wait," before agents ushered him into a waiting vehicle.

The Secret Service said in a statement that Trump is "safe." The shooter was shot dead, according to U.S. law enforcement officials, and the shooting is being investigated as a possible assassination attempt.

An audience member also died and two people are in critical condition, the Secret Service said. 

"I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear," Trump posted on social media later in the evening. "Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on the shooting.

Speaking about two hours after the shooting, Biden said, "There's no place in America for this kind of violence."

"It's sick," the president added. Biden said he is grateful that Trump is safe. "It's one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this."

Three law enforcement sources said that the shooter fired from outside the venue at the Trump rally, according to CNN. Two of those sources said that the shooter was on a roof outside of the venue. Additional details are not yet clear.

Leaders from multiple countries including China, France, the UK and international organizations have condemned the attack on Trump, expressing shock, denouncing political violence and wishing him a quick recovery.

A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the shooting and called it an "act of political violence."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said: "We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "appalled by the shocking scenes" at the rally. "Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack."

"It is a tragedy for our democracies," French President Emmanuel Macron said of the shooting. "France shares the shock and indignation of the American people."

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: Former President Donald Trump is escorted off the stage by U.S. Secret Service at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. /CFP)