HOUSTON — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was a witness to the shooting at former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Sunday.
Trump was injured in the shooting, hit in the ear. A bystander was killed and so was the gunman.
Miller spoke on the phone tonight to KHOU 11’s Marcelino Benito. He said he was there with a tour bus and was going to head to the Republican National Convention, which begins on Monday. He described the scene when gunfire rang out.
“I was on the front row standing up 30 feet from the president when the shooting broke out,” he said. “The first shot, I thought it was a balloon pop. It wasn’t very loud. The second one, I thought it might be a firecracker. It was very, very loud pop. But the third one, I realized hat it as an I looked over at the president and he had stopped talking.”
Miller said the whole thing lasted five or six seconds.
Later tonight, Miller released the following statement on the Texas Department of Agriculture’s X account.
“I was with president trump at his rally tonight in Butler, Pennsylvania. I am shocked but unharmed. While I am grateful that President Trump is safe and appears to have avoided serious injury, I am heartbroken over the tragic loss of an innocent bystander. My thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family as they grieve this senseless tragedy. I pray for the continued safety of President Trump and his family. I pray for our great nation, which deserves better. This incident underscores the need for unity, courage and for God’s favor as we move forward.”
Editor's note: Miller told KHOU 11 that a woman behind him was hit and he believed she was killed. At a news conference late Saturday night, Lt. Col. George Bivens with the Pennsylvania State Police said that the attendee who was killed and the two who were injured were all adult men.