A California Trump superfan who witnessed the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump says the latest shooting scare instantly brought him back to that terrifying moment — and underscored the need for cooler political rhetoric.
Blake Marnell, a San Diego man known as “Brick Suit” for his signature pro-Trump outfits, reacted after learning details of the recent shooting tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, according to KGTV.
The incident marked yet another violent threat against the president, who was targeted during the high-profile Washington, DC event before security stopped the suspect.
Marnell said he immediately experienced “flashbacks” to the July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where gunfire broke out and Trump was struck in the ear.
“And you know, there was a gasp that went out,” Marnell said. “My immediate reaction is flashbacks to Butler. And then when she said that, it appeared that President Trump was OK, immediate relief.”
At the time of the latest shooting scare, Marnell was attending a rally in Scottsdale, Arizona, backing efforts to require proof of citizenship in federal elections, the outlet said.
During the event, a speaker paused for a moment of silence and prayer following the news. “Definitely sad it’s happened again,” Marnell said.
Marnell recalled the chaos of the 2024 rally, describing how confusion quickly turned to panic as shots rang out.
“I thought at first it was firecrackers. … All I saw was the Secret Service rushing on stage… People were screaming. People were praying. People were saying, ‘Get down! Get down!’” he said.
The recent incident — in which a suspect armed with multiple weapons attempted to breach security at the Washington Hilton — is being treated as an attempted assassination, marking the latest in a string of threats against Trump.
In the wake of the violence, Marnell said the country needs to dial back the intensity of its political rhetoric.
“We definitely need more civility,” he said. “I would just like to see less hyperbole, less vilifying of political opponents, less demonization of opposing viewpoints, and I think that that will go a long way towards helping to prevent this from happening in the future.”
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