Donald Trump was taken off the stage by Secret Service during a Saturday night rally in Reno, Nev., after commotion in front of the stage.
The Republican presidential nominee noticed a protester in the crowd and told event security to remove him.
{mosads}But as Trump looked out over the crowd to spot the protester, two men in suits ran to the stage, grabbed him by the shoulders and rushed him behind the curtain.
A group of security officials jumped over the barricade, protecting the stage and looking into the crowd, backing up shocked attendees who tried to take video of the protester.
The Secret Service issued a
statement late Saturday saying Trump was removed from the stage by his protective detail after “an unidentified individual shouted ‘gun.’ “
“Secret Service agents and Reno Police Officers immediately apprehended the subject. Upon a thorough search of the subject and the surrounding area, no weapon was found,” the Secret Service said.
The Secret Service said that the investigation with the Reno Police Department was ongoing.
Images emerged on social media of armed guards encircling someone on the ground shortly after Trump was escorted from the stage.
Security led a bald man out of the convention hall as the crowd cheered and also booed the protester.
Moments later, a rally speaker took to the stage to tell the unsettled crowd that “nobody is going to stop this movement.”
Trump returned to the stage moments later to continue his speech. The energetic crowd cheered his return. Trump, who didn’t appear unsettled, briefly addressed the incident before jumping back into his speech.
“Nobody said it was going to be easy for us, but we will never be stopped. Never ever be stopped,” Trump said.
“I want to thank the Secret Service. These guys are fantastic — they don’t get enough credit,” he said.
A few minutes later, the businessman paused to thank his supporters for helping to protect him as the man rushed the stage.
“I want to thank all these people,” he said, pointing to the area where the man was stopped.
“I saw what you were doing — that’s a tough group of people right there. I saw that; that was pretty amazing. Nobody messes with our people,” he said.
After the rally, MSNBC’s Jacob Rascon tweeted a picture of what appeared to be heavily armed police officers guarding a bathroom where the man had presumably been taken by officers.
ABC News reported that while no weapon was found on the man, shouts from the crowd about a gun elevated the Secret Service’s response.
Trump’s campaign released a brief statement that echoed the candidate’s appreciation for the Secret Service but did not provide any additional information as to what had occurred.
The tense situation came during a slew of Trump rallies several days before the presidential election, as the businessman and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, criss-cross the country before Election Day.
Trump rallies have been a hot bed for protests throughout the cycle, with regular interruptions by mostly peaceful protesters, though altercations between protesters and Trump supporters have at times turned physical.
Trump did not appear to cut his rally short Saturday, despite the interruption. The incident took place about 35 minutes into his speech, and he spoke for another 10 minutes after returning to the stage.
Updated: 10:58 p.m.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
