An eyewitness has recounted the chaotic events at the presidential campaign rally where Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt, revealing what likely saved the former US president from being killed in the attack.
Trump was shot in the ear a short time after he began addressing the crowd at the Pennsylvania rally, his last before the Republican National Convention starts Monday.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Witness reveals what saved Donald Trump’s life in assassination attempt.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
The bullet that pierced Trump’s ear was fired by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, the FBI confirmed. Crooks had opened fire at the presumptive Republican nominee from a nearby rooftop, before he was shot and killed by officers at the event.
One member of the audience was also killed in the incident, while two other attendees were seriously injured.
As for how Trump managed to avoid the same fate, rally-goer Saurabh Sharma told 7NEWS that Trump’s luckily timed head movements at the time of the shooting saved him from certain death.
“I was standing right there, probably about 40 feet from him in the friends and family VIP section,” Sharma said, sharing that Trump immediately began referring to a chart that compared his record on immigration and border security to that of President Biden.
“Thank God for that chart because I think it’s because of his head turning left and right as he was explaining the things that were on that chart that that first bullet actually missed him,” Sharma said.
“I think the only reason that he didn’t get hit today is because that chart was on the television and he was turning his head.”
Sharma went on to describe the chaos that broke out during the shooting, saying he and others initially thought the bullet noises were from a “firework or a BB gun” but “as they kept coming, everyone really quickly hit the floor”.
“It was a little bit of a dazed situation at that point,” he added. “As we peeked our heads back up, Secret Service had formed that kind of shell around him.”
“The first thing I saw was him reach out his fist to the audience. Come to find out later he was saying, ‘Fight! Fight!’ and that definitely caused a ripple through the crowd. Everyone noticed that. It really energised everyone.”
Soon after the incident, which has raised serious concerns about security at the event, Trump said in a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social that he felt a bullet “ripping through the skin” in the assassination attempt.
“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,” Trump said.
“Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Several hours later, Trump sent an email to his supporters, writing: “This is a message from Donald Trump. I will never surrender.”
He was filmed by his campaign’s Deputy Director of Communications Margo Martin disembarking a jet in New Jersey. His ear wasn’t visible in the footage, and he gave only a brief wave as he descended a flight of stairs.
