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Three Fired

Did CNN report that former U.S. President Donald Trump was shot with three different weapons during an assassination attempt at a rally on July 13, 2024, as a post on X claimed? No, that's not true: CNN reported on July 14, 2024, that an audio analysis suggested three weapons were fired during the assassination attempt that occurred in Pennsylvania. CNN did not report that the analysis showed "Trump was shot with three weapons."

The claim originated in a post shared to X on July 15, 2024 (archived here) with a caption that read:

Audio forensic analysis shows Trump was shot with three weapons - CNN

The first three shots were consistent with alleged weapon A, the next five were consistent with alleged weapon B, and the final "acoustic impulse" was emitted by a possible weapon C.

The FBI previously claimed that the shooter acted alone.

Below is how the post appeared at the time of this publication:

(Source: X screenshot taken Mon July 15 09:48:52 2024 UTC)

The post above was shared after a suspect shot at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, in what officials have named an assassination attempt. Two attendees were critically wounded, and a third was killed. The shooter was killed by responding law enforcement personnel.

On July 14, 2024, CNN reported (archived here) that audio forensics suggested as many as "three weapons were fired at the rally" -- but CNN did not report that Trump was shot by three weapons. The article on cnn.com read in its entirety:

Audio forensics suggest as many as three weapons fired at Trump rally

Forensic analysis suggests that as many as three weapons were fired at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The FBI said Sunday that the shooter acted alone.

The first three shots were consistent with alleged weapon A, the next five were consistent with alleged weapon B, and the final "acoustic impulse" was emitted by a possible weapon C, per audio analysis by Catalin Grigoras, director of the National Center for Media Forensics at the University of Colorado in Denver, and Cole Whitecotton, Senior Professional Research Associate at the same institution.

Audio analysis has also confirmed that the gunman was about 360 to 393 feet from the podium, according to forensics expert Robert Maher.

This conclusion aligns with CNN's analysis that the gunman was on a rooftop 393 to 492 feet from the podium when shots rang out.

The shots exemplify a "crack-pop" sequence, typical when a supersonic bullet passes a microphone, before the "arrival of the corresponding muzzle blast sound," Maher, who teaches audio forensics at Montana State University, told CNN.

The time between these markers places the shooter 110 to 120 meters from the microphone, Maher said, assuming the bullet is moving at an average speed of 800 to 1,000 meters per second, the equivalent of 2,600 to 3,280 feet per second.

Below is how the article appeared at the time of this publication:

(Source: CNN screenshot taken Mon July 15 17:01:46

C-SPAN live streamed (archived here) Trump's rally, during which multiple shots can be heard beginning at the 8:10 minute mark of the clip below:

The audio researchers cited in the CNN article, Grigoras (archived here) and Whitecotton (archived here), told Lead Stories in an email received on July 15, 2024, that they "never claimed that the victim was shot with three different weapons" and that their work "just reported on how many acoustic impulses were present in the audio we analyzed." They added:

There are nine acoustic impulses, allegedly gunshots, that are grouped as follows:

1) Impulses 1-3 consistent with a source A (allegedly weapon A)
2) Impulses 4-8 consistent with a source B (allegedly weapon B)
3) Impulse 9 consistent probably with a source C (potential weapon C)

Leading the investigation is the FBI, which reported on July 14, 2024 (archived here), that information to date "indicates the shooter acted alone."

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle stated in a news release published on July 15, 2024 (archived here) that the agency's counter-sniper team neutralized the shooter during the incident, which could explain why multiple weapons were reportedly heard in the audio recording.

Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi also described the incident in a news release (archived here) published on July 13, 2024, which read:

During Former President Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the evening of July 13 at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue. U.S. Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased. U.S. Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and Former President Trump is safe. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured. This incident is currently under investigation. and the Secret Service has notified the FBI.

On July 13, 2024, the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police held a news conference (archived here) on the shooting, during which federal and state officials confirmed that multiple shots were fired during the rally. At the 26:05 minute mark, Kevin Rojeck (archived here), FBI special agent charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh Field Office, responded to a reporter's comment about several shots being fired, noting that it was "surprising."

Lead Stories has examined many false claims that circulated in the ways following the assassination attempt on Trump, which can be read here.