Start your week smart: Assassination attempt on Trump, suspect killed, witnesses describe chaos, reaction and analysis

Crime

July 14, 2024

Andrew Torgan, Daniel Wine - CNN

(CNN) — Let’s get right to the news. There’s a lot to catch up on, so we are devoting the weekend summary to last night’s attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

The weekend that was

• What happened: Trump was injured Saturday evening during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in what the FBI says was an assassination attempt. The gunman and at least one audience member are dead, the Secret Service said, and two other attendees are critically injured. Trump said he was hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.” Follow live updates.
• The suspect: Authorities identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks fired multiple shots at Trump while perched on the rooftop of a nearby building outside the rally’s security perimeter, authorities said, and was killed by Secret Service agents.
• Chaotic scene: Witnesses described the moments after the shooting as “pure insanity.” Rico Elmore told CNN that he jumped over a barricade to comfort an individual who was bleeding after being shot.
• Reaction: President Joe Biden spoke with Trump after the shooting and denounced the violence in remarks. Biden returned to the White House from Delaware earlier than planned so he can continue receiving briefings from law enforcement.
• Analysis: The attempted assassination opens a dark new chapter in America’s cursed story of political violence.

The week ahead

Monday
The Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the GOP will officially nominate Trump as the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The event is expected to draw some 50,000 people to the city, and security will be on high alert. Trump is also expected to finally announce his choice of a running mate during the convention.

If you’re heading to Target, leave your checkbook at home. The retailer will stop accepting personal checks to make checkout easier for shoppers. Target will continue to accept other payment methods, including Apple Pay, SNAP/EBT, buy now/pay later services, Target Circle Cards, its store card, plus cash, credit and debit cards.

Tuesday
Speaking of shopping, Amazon’s 10th Prime Day event kicks off just after midnight and runs through the following day. And if you are wondering what all the fuss is about, Amazon raked in nearly $13 billion in sales from customers globally during the event in July 2023.

Wednesday
The State Opening of Parliament takes place in the UK, marking the formal start of the parliamentary year and setting out the government’s agenda for the 2024-25 session. The event includes The King’s Speech, which will be read in the House of Lords chamber by King Charles III. The speech is written by the government and contains an outline of its policies and proposed legislation for the new session. The State Opening of Parliament starts with a ceremonial search of the cellars in the Houses of Parliament, commemorating Guy Fawkes’ “gunpowder plot” of 1605.

The iconic Mirage Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip will shut its doors after more than three decades in business. Opened in 1989 by casino mogul Steve Wynn, the Mirage ushered in an era of luxe resorts for the Strip and was the first resort to have a sidewalk attraction with its erupting volcano, prompting the Bellagio and Venetian to imitate it with dancing fountains and canals, respectively. The resort will undergo a three-year renovation and reopen in 2027 as Hard Rock Las Vegas, with a soaring 700-foot-tall hotel tower in the shape of a guitar, similar to its Florida property, with the volcano being destroyed to make space for new rooms.

Thursday
Trump will formally accept the nomination to be the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee on the final day of the Republican National Convention.

One Thing: 🎧 GOP platform vs. Project 2025
In today’s “One Thing” podcast, CNN’s Alayna Treene looks at the Trump-centric Republican Party platform as the Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee. Listen here.

Photos of the week

Check out more images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

What’s happening in entertainment

In theaters
“Twisters” will roar onto the big screen Friday. Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones star in the sequel to the 1996 blockbuster of (almost) the same name. Many, many large and otherwise stationary objects will go flying …

What’s happening in sports

At a glance …
Today will be a busy one for soccer fans with both the Euro 2024 final featuring England facing Spain and the Copa América final pitting Argentina against Colombia.

Wimbledon wraps up today with the men’s singles final. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached his second straight Wimbledon final, beating Daniil Medvedev. He will face Novak Djokovic, who beat Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets. In a thrilling women’s final Saturday, Barbora Krejčíková won her first Wimbledon title, outlasting Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

MLB’s All-Star Game is set for Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. on FOX.

For more of your favorite sports, head on over to CNN Sports as well as Bleacher Report, which — like CNN — is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Sunday spotlight

Transforming lives by helping dogs find forever homes
A unique nonprofit in Northern California pairs vulnerable young people, often living in juvenile correction facilities, with abandoned or abused dogs that have been rescued from shelters. The youths learn to train the dogs in basic skills and better prepare them for adoption. Learn more about CNN Hero Melissa Wolf and her UnChained program here.

Quiz time!

Looking for a challenge to start your week? Take CNN’s news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 57% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?

Play me off …

‘You’re No Good’
Monday is officially “Linda Ronstadt Day” in San Francisco! The city’s Board of Supervisors passed a resolution last week to recognize the “First Lady of Rock” for her iconic catalog of work, commitment to social justice and her 78th birthday. (Click here to view)