WASHINGTON (July 15, 2024)—On Saturday, July 13, a shooter fired on a rally held by former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, striking the candidate, killing one attendee and seriously injuring two others. This incident represents a dangerous and unacceptable escalation in political violence in the United States, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
Below is a statement by Dr. Jennifer Jones, director of the Center for Science and Democracy at UCS.
“Political violence is toxic to the health of our democracy. It’s simply never acceptable. The shooting at this weekend’s campaign rally represents a disturbing escalation of already-heightened threats to public officials at all levels, from the halls of Congress to local election administration offices. Research shows that political violence undermines public trust, discourages participation and gets harder to contain the more commonplace it becomes.
“The Union of Concerned Scientists unambiguously condemns political violence and rhetoric that incites violence. The shooting of former President Trump and the attendees of his rally has no place in a democracy where voters, not guns, should decide the direction of the country. We will continue to work to apply science to secure free and fair elections, and support the rule of law and justice for all.”