Former President Donald Trump was injured Saturday in an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, that left one spectator dead and two others seriously injured. The shooter was also killed.
The unprecedented attack sparked immediate outrage from leaders across the nation and locally.
Florida officials reacted soon after the incident Saturday evening, including Miami Mayor Francis Suarez who spoke to NBC6 about the attack.
"Political violence of any kind is unacceptable," he said. "We've been increasingly seeing people attack each other – not for their ideas, not for their ideologies – but personally."
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Mayor Suarez said he hopes the incident can at least spark change across the nation.
"It's incredible frightening and my hope is that this unfortunate incident changes the conversation in this country and we start getting back to talking about ideas and how to make this country better, instead of attacking each other," Suarez added.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava was among the first of local officials to release a reaction on social media.
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"The news of former President Donald Trump being attacked is reprehensible. Regardless of your beliefs, this kind of attack goes against the very foundation of what our country stands for and the values we hold dear," Levine Cava stated on X. "Praying for the safety of the former President and his family."
Trump was speaking when he reached for the side of his face as shots rang out over the rally. He then crouched down as Secret Service agents rushed the stage and surrounded him. He was quickly escorted into a vehicle, walking off the stage with agents on all sides.
He later said on Truth Social that a bullet pierced his ear. The former president is expected to be okay.
Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott as well as Governor Ron DeSantis also reacted to the incident on social media, showing support for former President Trump.
Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick condemned the violence in a statement, saying political violence has no place in our country.
There was a similar message from Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who also condemned the attack on X.
"Political violence is never the answer and every political leader must make that crystal clear," she stated.
Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar also said she is praying for the safety and well being of the former president.
Meanwhile, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz called the attack unconscionable on social media.
"This kind of violence is anti-ethical to all our values," she emphasized.
In remarks to reporters from the White House on Sunday afternoon, President Biden again condemned the violence that broke out during the rally and called for unity in its wake.
"Unity is the most elusive goal of all, nothing is more important than that right now — unity. We’ll debate, we’ll disagree, that’s not going to change. But we’re not going to lose the fact of who we are as Americans," Biden said during brief remarks.
