Photos showed the presidential candidate raising his fist in the air, his face and ear bloodied, as members of the Secret Service surrounded him and escorted him off-stage. Analysis by the New York Times has suggested the shooter fired eight shots.
However, the attempt to assassinate Mr. Trump contained more than just one narrative. It intimately involved the lives of three bystanders:
The one who lost his life – a death to be mourned
Crooks, not yet old enough to buy a pack of beer, opened fire with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle while the former president was speaking on stage.
For Thomas the shooting was not a random act of terror but most likely a conclusion of a troubled youth. Thomas suffered the fate of many children who seem to look and act differently than their peers. Jason Kohler, who attended the same high school as Crooks, said Crooks was bullied at school and sat alone at lunch time. Other students mocked him for the way he dressed, such as hunting outfits, Kohler said. “He was bullied almost every day,” Kohler told reporters. “He was just an outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays.”
Ironically Thomas tried out for the school’s rifle team but was turned away because he was a bad shooter, according to Frederick Mach, the current captain of the team.
From a Christian perspective we should all mourn the death of a 20-year-old man who suffered the fate of being robbed of dignity. A young life that could have turned out differently - if only someone believed in him and affirmed his value in the eyes of Christ
No, Thomas was not the “monster”, as the media sought to portray him. He was a hurting soul. And the pain of rejection made him pick up a gun and commit the unthinkable. Maybe he saw Donald Trump as the ultimate bully and felt that if he died as a “martyr”, he would be accepted by those who rejected him. If only he knew that he was already accepted by the only One that matters, Christ the Lord. If only someone near him told him that. If only…
The one who gave his life – a life to be celebrated
Pennsylvania Governor, Josh Shapiro, described Comperatore as a “hero” . “He was there with his wife and two daughters and dove over them to protect them when gunshots were heard in the crowd. Corey died a hero,” Shapiro said of the Sarver, Pennsylvania man.
Shapiro described Comperatore as a faithful believer who went to church every Sunday and loved his family and community. “Corey was the very best of us, may his memory be a blessing,” Shapiro said.
From a Christian perspective it is a sober thought that in a time of crisis, only what already exists within us will be revealed. Comperatore reacted like Christ did. He did it instinctively and without hesitation. He did not lose his life; he willingly gave it. This was who he was, not who he was trying to be. His memory will indeed be a blessing and his will be celebrated because he knew the One who gave His life for all to be saved.
The one who escaped with his life – a purpose to be contemplated
From a Christian perspective this could be the turning point in US politics that so many Christians have been praying for. Few people will argue the fact that the bullet that missed Mr. Trump is nothing short of a miracle, a one-centimetre miracle. The fact that Mr. Trump is still alive is therefore not because of the goodness and greatness of Donald Trump, but because of the goodness and providence of God. And it seems like this has not gone unnoticed by Mr. Trump.
In an interview after the shooting, the former president described the moment as follows: "I'm not supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be dead, it was a very surreal experience." He explained that a slight turn of his head to read a chart on "illegal immigrants" had saved his life, transforming what would have been a fatal shot into a glancing blow that tore off a small piece of his ear.
"By luck or by God, many people are saying it's by God, I'm still here," Trump said, emphasizing the miraculous nature of his survival.
Mr. Trump then continued by saying what many Christians have been praying for – and this could be a key turning point in the current political climate: "The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger," Trump said. "Had this not happened, this would've been one of the most incredible speeches," aimed mostly at the policies of President Joe Biden. "Honestly, it's going to be a whole different speech now."
“I want to try to unite our country, but I don’t know if that’s possible,” he told The New York Post on Sunday in an interview on his private plane as he travelled to Milwaukee for the convention. “People are very divided.”
“I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” he said. “But I threw it away.”
Trump said his speech will meet the moment that history demands. "It is a chance to bring the country together," he said. "I was given that chance."
Call me naïve, but I believe in God’s providence and this could just be the U-turn that the nation has been praying for. Could an encounter with death bring both election candidates to a new realisation that divisive politics only plays into the hands of the enemy? I believe so. With a sovereign God shaping nations and events, as Christians, we have to believe that God is still shaping the future of the US as well.
We can only pray that Mr. Trump will find more time to reflect and ask the Lord why he was spared. He will most probably be the next elect commander in chief of the biggest Christian nation in the world. By God’s grace he survived an onslaught on his life. He was spared. By Gods providence there must be a reason. We now pray for wise leaders to counsel, guide and direct him and Mr. Biden to lead their nation in a season of opportunities.