Republican nominee Donald Trump is returning to Butler, where his previous rally was forced to stop after an assassination attempt.
Residents are reacting with mixed emotions to the news. Some feel anxious and show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, while others are excited and eagerly anticipating the event.
The former president stated that he intends to“celebrate a unifying vision for America’s future in an event like the world has never seen before.”
On Saturday, Trump will speak at the same location where thousands witnessed the shooting, during which he raised his fist and shouted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” on July 13, with blood streaking his face from the would-be assassin’s bullet.
Sadly, former Buffalo Township Fire Company Chief Corey Comperatore was killed, while David Dutch and James Copenhaver were hospitalized with injuries. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by the U.S. Secret Service.
The shooting left a sense of apprehension in the town, with some people still grappling with the aftermath of the sudden and frightening attack.
Registered nurse Shanea Clancy, who runs a mental health consulting service in Butler County, noted that she has observed increased unease among residents since the shooting. “I’ve consulted with at least 500 people since this occurred,” she said. “People don’t expect trauma to arrive at their door on any given day.”
Jim Hulings, chairman of the Butler County Republican Committee said he has many lingering questions about the shooting and the subsequent investigations.
“There’s a lot of activity going on right now, people wanting answers,” Hulings said. “I am not in a minority there at all. There’s a lot of people asking questions.”
Some Trump supporters have chosen to continue their support unwaveringly.
Kim Geyer, a Republican Butler County commissioner, plans to attend the rally on Saturday, just as she did in July when she sat behind Trump.
“I kind of have mixed feelings about it, but I’m resolved to moving forward,” Geyer said. “I think that the people that may be affected more negatively are going to just stay home. And the people that want to feel the inspiration and the energy from the Trump movement are going to attend to support President Trump and let him finish what he began.”
Some people are trying to honor Trump’s courage during the assassination attempt.
One artist is working on a 9-foot-tall sculpture of Trump in Butler, although the installation site is still unclear. Another artist, Butler metalworker and Trump supporter Bill Secunda, has spent two weeks reworking an existing life-sized Trump sculpture to more accurately depict his response after being shot, with his right fist pumping into air.
Secunda and a friend installed the sculpture in a tent at the Butler Farm Show in August, where it gained popularity for selfies. He has already received a $50,000 offer for the piece.
Butler County was more favorable to Democrats two years ago, with the party’s gubernatorial nominee, Josh Shapiro, obtaining about 43 percent of the vote there. To secure the vital swing state of Pennsylvania in November, Trump must boost voter turnout in conservative strongholds like Butler County.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.