In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump over the weekend, stories have started to surface of the sheer bravery of those in the crowd. As gunfire rang out during Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ongoers in the crowd did their best to safely shield themselves and others from the terror reigning upon them.
One of those in the crowd was the son of a college football head coach. But Jeff Traylor wasn’t there as a Trump supporter; he was there as a media member. The NBC News correspondent took it upon himself to shield his fellow reporters.
Traylor, son of UTSA’s head football coach Jeff Traylor, bravely protected ABC correspondent Rachel Scott. Scott revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Traylor shielded her as Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from a semi-automatic AR-style rifle toward the open field in Butler, PA.
This was the moment we dove for cover as gunshots rang out
Extremely grateful for my security, Jeff who yanked me off the press riser & @jake__traylor who covered me on the ground. @olivialarinaldi who kept us calm
My heart goes out to everyone who was here tonight https://t.co/AbbmketCcx
— Rachel Scott (@rachelvscott) July 14, 2024
The 26-year-old Jake spoke candidly about his experience, which Nick Moyle of the San Antonio Express-News transcribed:
“I’m doing OK. As OK as you can be. To describe what it was like specifically in the scene – this word’s been used a lot, and it’s true – it was harrowing. Those of us in the press pen, we were there obviously covering the rally.”
If you can go back to that horrific moment, we were anticipating a potential vice presidential pick announcement. So that’s where our thoughts were at. Most of the journalists and reporters in the press pen were at the very front anticipating some type of announcement. Of course, then we heard the shots. So many things happened so quickly, but also it felt like it happened so slowly, too.
We heard the shots. Immediately, I saw Trump go down pretty quickly. I also saw the crowd go down. Everyone in the press pen went down and we were all just covering each other. Even though that lasted a handful of seconds, that felt like a very long time.”
And since that’s gotten a lot of traction, Jeff released his statement on the matter, which Moyle shared:
“At first, Cari and I found out about it just like everyone else did by hearing about it on the news. Obviously, as parents we were extremely worried, but he texted us pretty quickly that he was okay. I didn’t get to speak to him until late that night because he was covering the event. He was pretty shook up. I did not find out about him taking cover on the ground and protecting his colleagues until I saw it on social media.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Jake didn’t tell me. The kid is just wired differently. Obviously, I am very proud of what he did, but it doesn’t surprise me in the least. That has always been Jake. It was just a sad and horrible scene. My prayers continue to go out to everyone who was affected by this tragic event.”
Jeff Traylor’s statement on his son, NBC News reporter Jake Traylor, covering the shooting at Trump’s rally and trying to shield another reporter during the gunfire: https://t.co/MZe2aO6x7e pic.twitter.com/MNsKjCuG0Q
— Nick Moyle (@NRMoyle) July 15, 2024
The bravery Jake Traylor and others showed during this challenging situation underscores the courage and commitment journalists often need when reporting in the field. As the nation comes to terms with this violent act, the actions of these individuals serve as a source of inspiration and hope.
[Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News]
