Donald Trump was abruptly brought off the stage by Secret Service in the middle of a Saturday night rally when an unidentified man apparently tried to rush the stage.
Multiple witnesses near the front of the stage told reporters that they believed that the man had a gun, but the Secret Service said no weapon was found.
Secret Service statement: “an unidentified individual shouted ‘gun’…no weapon was found.” pic.twitter.com/msH2CPcclE
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) November 6, 2016
Trump thanks the secret service as he returns to the stage after being rushed off in Nevada https://t.co/xeNxna6aa6 pic.twitter.com/qV7HLVBAo6
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 6, 2016
After the rally, Trump released a statement thanking law enforcement officers. “I also want to thank the many thousands of people present for their unwavering and unbelievable support. Nothing will stop us — we will make America great again!” he said.
The Guardian interviewed the man who sparked the commotion. The man, who identified himself as Austyn Crites, said he was simply making his way through the crowd so he could raise his “Republicans against Trump” sign. The crowd then fiercely attacked him, he said.
This was not the first time Secret Service have rushed to protect the Republican nominee at a campaign rally. In March, Trump was surrounded by agents after a man suddenly headed to the stage at an event in Ohio. The man, 22-year-old Thomas Dimassimo, was blocked before he ever reached Trump and was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Trump claimed the man was tied to ISIS, but experts dismissed the assertion.