Former President Trump 'safe' after shots fired nearby — campaign statement.
Date: 2024-09-16 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: IN WORLD
Former President Trump is "safe" after shots were reported "in his vicinity," Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement Sept. 15: "President Trump is safe after shots were fired in his vicinity. There are no further details at this time."
The former president was reportedly playing golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, when shots were heard. According to CNN, the golf course was immediately closed after the incident.
It is unclear at this time whether this was an assassination attempt on the former president. However, authorities believe the shooter was trying to hit Trump. Donald Trump Jr., the former president's son, also said that law enforcement officials found an AK-47 assault rifle at the scene.
Former President Trump was previously the target of an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania
The July 13 assassination attempt on the former president was thwarted after Secret Service agents fatally shot the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.
In the wake of the assassination attempt, Trump’s odds of winning the presidency skyrocketed in prediction markets, with the Trump-themed meme coin MAGA (TRUMP) jumping 52%.
These increased odds also caused a corresponding rise in Bitcoin, which led to its price reaching $64,671 on July 15. At the time of the failed assassination attempt, Zero Knowledge Consulting founder Austin Campbell told Cointelegraph, “Historically, assassination attempts have led to increases in support for candidates.”
Current Polymarket Odds
Trump's large lead on Polymarket has narrowed following his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. The former president's odds of winning the election fell 3% during the debate, putting Trump and Harris level on the online prediction platform.
Trump's Polymarket odds were at their highest immediately after the failed assassination attempt, when President Joe Biden was still the Democratic nominee for the 2024 election. Since then, the gap between the rival political campaigns has narrowed significantly as the November election approaches.
