Doors close in an 'abundance of caution,' says MCRC chairman
The Blue Bell-based offices of the Montgomery County Republican Committee (MCRC) were closed on Monday, a Facebook post announced. Area leaders said that it was done “in an abundance of caution.”
“After the horrible assassination attempt this weekend, and in an abundance of caution, the shared MCRC/Trump Campaign offices were closed today,” said Christian Nascimento, MCRC chairman told Wissahickon Now. “We look forward to reopening them this week.”
No specific date or time has been set for the reopening of the offices, which are located at 860 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Suite 240. Nascimento said that local offices were closed following the weekend’s events to simply play it safe.
“We are praying for the victims of Saturday's horrible tragedy,” said Nascimento. “We are thankful that President Trump and others were not injured.
The precautionary measures were taken just days after President Donald Trump was injured during a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania.
The MCRC first posted “Our prayers for President Trump and his fantastic Secret Service detail. We hope he fully recovers and law enforcement quickly catches the perpetrator!” on its Facebook page, ahead of Monday’s decision to close its doors to the public.
“The Saturday evening incident in Butler, Pa. left one person dead and two others wounded,” said an article by Rachel Ravina in Monday’s Lansdale Reporter.
Reports from the Associated Press indicate Trump was doing “fine,” per a campaign spokesperson, following the “shooting, which he said pierced the upper part of his right ear.” The gunman, a 20-year-old Bethel Park man, was killed by Secret Service agents, according to Ravina’s article.
Some area politicians have taken to social media to comment on the weekend’s events.
“This is deeply disturbing. Violence has no place in a democracy. My thoughts are with all who may have been injured in Butler,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija.
“Political violence is never appropriate and must be condemned. I pray for the former president and all those injured and the life lost to this heinous act. Love for our country and reverence for our democracy has never been more important,” said state Rep. Matt Bradford in a post on Facebook.
Pennsylvania’s Gov. Shapiro ordered that the American flag and Pennsylvania state flag be flown at half-staff in honor of Corey Comperatore, the fire chief who lost his life at the same rally. Flags are to remain at half-staff until sunset following Comperatore’s interment.
“Last night was shocking for this community, for this commonwealth and I know for this country. Political disagreements can never ever be addressed in violence,” Shapiro said during a press conference on Sunday. “Disagreements are OK, but we need to use a peaceful, political process to settle those differences.”
In the first day of the Republican National Convention, as he was named the party’s official candidate, Trump announced officially that his running mate will be Ohio Senator J.D. Vance for vice president. Trump took to “Truth Social” to make his announcement.
