From ‘relieved’ to ‘hopeless,’ readers wracked and apprehensive following Butler shooting

The attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show grounds on Saturday brought anxiety about our civic and political polarization to a boil. PublicSource invited readers to share their reactions. “PublicSource is an independent nonprofit newsroom serving the Pittsburgh region. Sign up for our free newsletters.” & by PublicSource, PublicSource July 19, 2024 & The attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show Grounds on Saturday shook the nation, but may have jolted Southwestern Pennsylvania most of all. After all, our politically purple region was not just the scene of the crime — in which one person, Corey Comperatore, was killed along with presumed shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, and Trump and two others were injured. It was also, apparently, the cradle of the would-be assassin. PublicSource invited readers to share their reactions. Here is a sample of the responses we received, edited for brevity and clarity. (Names were not provided with all entries and when they were, we withheld full names due to privacy and safety concerns.) I am frightened about living close to what might later turn out to be the epicenter of a flash point for political violence in this...