Country music star Cody Johnson took the stage at the Windy City Smokeout on Saturday night, and just hours after an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, he delivered a stirring speech about the dangers of division in the United States.
Johnson called the shooting “disgusting,” and spoke passionately against division and hatred in the United States.
“The fact that any American citizen would think that what they did today would solve a problem in this country is absolutely disgusting,” he said. “You want to solve a problem in this country? On Election Day, go in there and vote for who you want.”
His speech continued as he cited the right of Americans to free expression.
“I’m tired of the hatred. I’m tired of the division,” he said. “I’m tired of people talking about Trump and Biden. There’s people in this crowd that agree with Trump. There’s people in this crowd that agree with Biden. Guess what. That is your God-given American right to believe whatever you want.”
Johnson then led the crowd in a rendition of “God Bless America” and encouraged the crowd to pray for healing of division within the country.
Trump had just started speaking at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania when gunfire rang out. The former president suffered a wound to his ear, with Secret Service snipers engaging and shooting the suspected assailant.
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Trump was rushed to a nearby hospital, according to officials. The suspected gunman, identified as a 20-year-old Pennsylvania resident, was pronounced dead, as was a bystander who was attending the rally. Two other individuals remain hospitalized in critical condition in Pittsburgh, according to the latest updates.
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