Trump honors victims, calls shooter a 'vicious monster' at Butler campaign rally

BUTLER, Pa. (TNND) — Former President Donald Trump was back in Butler Saturday to hold a campaign rally 12 weeks after he was struck by a bullet from a would-be assassin in Pennsylvania.

“Tonight I return to Butler in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache to deliver a simple message to the people of Pennsylvania and to the people of America,” the Republican presidential nominee told the crowd. “Our movement to make America great again, stand stronger, prouder, more united, more determined, and nearer to victory than ever before.”

Early in the rally, Trump honored the man who was killed shielding his family and the two supporters who were injured during the July 13 shootingwhen 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from an unsecured rooftop nearby before being fatally shot by snipers.

Corey Comperatore's family along with one of the two supporters who were injured, David Dutch, were in attendance.

In the bleachers, a memorial was seen with Comperatore's fireman's jacket set up on display surrounded by flowers and artist Scott LaBaido unveiled a painting before Trump's appearance.

Opera singer Christopher Macchio sang “Ave Maria” after a bell rung at the same time that gunfire began on July 13.

Trump went on to call Crooks “a vicious monster” saying he did not succeed “by the hand of providence and the grace of God.”

Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was invited on stage and made a plea for Americans to vote while saying he believes that if Trump loses, it would be the last election in America.

He also took the time to insult President Joe Biden saying, "We had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist-pumping after getting shot. So who do you want representing America?"

Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump's running mate, also attended the rallyat the Butler Farm Show and criticized Democrats for calling the former president“a threat to democracy."

“You heard the shots. You saw the blood. We all feared the worst. But you knew everything would be OK when President Trump raised his fist high in the air and shouted, ‘fight, fight!’” Vance said. “Now I believe it as sure as I’m standing here today that what happened was a true miracle.”

Signs that read, "Fight" began showing up around Butler County weeks ago.

The Republican nominee continues to persuade voters on why he should be the next president, despite a second assassination attempt.

Just nine weeks, after the Butler rally shooter was shot and killed, Trump was the target of another assassination attempt while he was golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida.

In the wake of both assassination attempts, Trump was granted presidential-level security.

Trump's campaign told ABC News that Saturday's rally was expected to look the same, but would have a more “polished” look with a “higher level production value.”

In just 30 days, the U.S. will learn who will be the next president on Election Day.

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Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.