The assassination attempt on Donald Trump: Staggering blow-by-blow account of how the ex-president was INCHES away from being murdered in front of the world... before springing up and issuing a defiant rallying call to America

Donald Trump pumped his fist in the air with blood streaming across his face seconds after being shot in the ear by a gunman in stunning images seen across the world. 

The former president, 78, survived the horrifying assassination attempt when the bullet missed him by less than an inch on Saturday afternoon, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

It came eight minutes after he took the stage at 6:03pm ET, where Trump began his remarks and pointed to a large graphic in the same direction where the shooter was perched atop an AGR International building. 

At the same moment, Trump supporters said they spotted the gunman - named as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 - 'bear-crawling' across the roof with a rifle, but claimed their warnings to Secret Service were ignored. 

'I’m thinking to myself "Why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage,''' one witness told the BBC. 'The next thing you know, five shots ring out.' 

A blood-spattered Donald Trump pumped his fist after being shot in the ear by a sniper, eight minutes after he took the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania 

1PM 

The grounds to the event at Butler Farm Show opened at 1pm. 

It began an hours-long build up that saw MAGA supporters immediately pour into the area to camp out. 

Security swept the area and set up perimeters, however questions have been raised over how the gunman was able to secure a clear shot just 400ft from the stage. 

5PM 

An hour before Trump took the stage at approximately 5pm, former GOP Senate candidate Sean Parnell warmed up the crowd, bringing cheers as he slammed President Biden and his stuttering campaign. 

With the sun still high on a bright day, Trump emerged to 'God Bless the USA' playing over the loudspeakers at 6:03pm, and remained waving and shaking his fist at the crowd for several minutes. 

6:11PM 

Trump brought out a large graphic with statistics on the migrant crisis at the southern border, and told the crowd at 6:11pm: 'That chart's a couple of months old...' 

'If you want to really see something that's sad, take a look at what happened,' Trump continued - before he abruptly grabbed the side of his head as several 'pops' filled the event space. 

Trump began his rally at 6:03pm, slamming President Biden's handling of the border crisis and pointing to a large graphic in the same direction where his would-be assassin was perched 

Trump grabbed his right ear as the first shots rang out at 6:12pm 

Secret Service agents raced to the stage and bundled Trump to the floor after shots were fired 

6:12PM 

The 78-year-old dropped to the floor in an instant as five more shots rang overhead in quick succession, before four Secret Service agents raced to the stage and dove on top of the former president. 

Stunning images showed Trump cowered on the floor as agents protected him, with blood dripping down his cheek. 

Several more Secret Service agents continued to flood the stage, while four heavily armed officers lined the perimeter ordering attendees to 'get down.' 

The sniper, sat 400ft across from the rally on an exposed rooftop, fired another shot at the stage a second later while Trump fans streamed out of the bleachers. 

Secret Service scrambled to take control of the pandemonium where three attendees were hit, one fatally, within a matter of seconds. 

Stunning images showed Trump cowered on the floor as agents protected him, with blood dripping down his cheek

Agents formed a human shield on top of the former president as pandemonium took over the event 

Several heavily armed officers lined the perimeter and ordered attendees to 'get down' 

Trump is seen surrounded by Secret Service agents in the moments after the shooting

Microphones around the stage picked up dramatic detail of the shooting response, including Trump ordering his agents to 'let me get my shoes' 

6:13PM 

An emergency room doctor with blood spattered on his shirt later said he sprang into action to perform emergency CPR on one victim. 

'The guy had spun around was jammed between the benches and a head shot here. There's lots of blood and he had brain matter,' he told CBS News. 

'So I got him together so I got people there really helpful. I did CPR chest compressions as well.' 

An emergency room doctor at the Trump rally said he performed CPR on a member of the crowd after the shooting 

The emergency room doctor can be seen tending to a victim as panicked rallygoers cowered and fled for safety 

Pandemonium took over as three attendees were hit, one fatally 

6:14PM 

Microphones surrounding the stage picked up staggering detail of the urgent response, beginning with one ordering screaming people to 'get down, get down, get down.' 

At the same moment, snipers set up on a roof next to bleachers were seen firing back at the gunman, with Secret Service agents surrounding Trump heard on microphones confirming the moment he was brought down. 

'Are we good?' one male agent says, as another responds quickly: 'Shooter down!' 

'Shooter's down. Are we good to move?' one says next. 'We're clear, we're clear, we're clear - let's move.' 

Trump repeatedly ordered the agents to 'let me get my shoes', to which one responds: 'I got you sir, I got you.' 

Police snipers returned fire at the gunman and took him down within a matter of moments 

Attendees claimed they warned the Secret Service over a man on the roof where the gunman was later killed 

Shortly after Trump was raced away, the lifeless body of Thomas Matthew Crooks was seen on a rooftop surrounded by agents. His death was not confirmed until 7:24pm 

Despite the chaos flying around the scene, the rally appeared to hold its breath to see if Trump was hit. 

In a move that sparked iconic images set to define his candidacy, Trump stood up and triumphantly held his fist in the air, pumping it at his supporters to raucous relief. 

'USA, USA, USA,' the crowd chanted at the sight, with a blood-spattered Trump appearing to mouth the word 'fight' several times as Secret Service tried to hurry him away. 

While getting up off the floor, an agent picked up a white cloth and held it to Trump's bleeding ear, telling him to 'hold that on your head, it's bloody.' 

Seconds after falling to the floor after taking the shot to his ear, Trump stood up and triumphantly raised his fist to show his supporters he was not severely injured 

As Trump pumped his fist to the crowd, some were heard cheering his name and chanting 'USA' and 'Make America Great Again' 

Trump reacted quickly to the shooting and appeared to want to show his supporters he was not hit badly after hitting the deck 

Blood can be seen pouring from the side of the former president's head

The gunman was killed by agents shortly after opening fire, as footage emerged online showing him appear to be shot in the head while crouched on the roof. 

Crooks was seen laying lifeless on the rooftop in a later image, surrounded by law enforcement stood over him.  

A number of camouflaged law enforcement officers emerged from the side of the stage, part of a huge law enforcement presence that flooded the area within minutes of the first shot was fired. 

At 6:14pm, Trump was whisked into his motorcade by around dozen Secret Service agents, who formed a protective human shield around him. 

Before he got into his SUV, Trump again raised his fist to signify triumphantly surviving the assassination attempt. 

A huge law enforcement presence took over the area, including a number of camouflaged law enforcement officers emerging from the side of the stage

Secret Service struggled to contain the chaotic scenes as three bystanders were shot, one fatally 

At 6:14pm, Trump raised his fist to the air as he was whisked into his motorcade by his Secret Service agents forming a human shield around him 

A helicopter flies overhead some time after Trump was raced away from the scene 

6:42PM  

Despite seeing Trump wave his fist in the air, silence on the former president's condition was only broken at 6:42pm, when Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung issued a statement -saying he was 'fine.' 

'(Trump) thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,' Cheung added. 

Although the shooter was killed within a matter of moments, his death was only confirmed by 7:24pm by the Butler County District Attorney. 

Trump was taken to hospital in the immediate aftermath, and insiders gradually leaked reassuring details stressing that he was safe and in 'good spirits' considering the near-death experience. 

8:13PM 

President Biden was spending the weekend in Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, and at 8:13pm he delivered a brief two-minute speech on the incident from his home state. 

He described the shooting as 'sick' and said he had attempted to get into contact with his 2024 opponent, which he later said he did so later in the evening. 

President Biden said at a press conference that there is 'no place in America for this kind of violence' 

8:42PM  

Half an hour later at 8:42pm, Trump took to Truth Social to break his silence over the attempt on his life. 

'It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,' Trump said at the time. 

'I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. 

'I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!' 

MIDNIGHT  

At the end of a chaotic and history defining day, Trump landed in New Jersey on Trump Force One just before midnight. 

Trump's campaign director of communications Margo Martin shared a clip of the former president descending his plane's steps. 

'Strong and resilient,' she captioned the video. 'He will never stop fighting for America.'