The world’s eyes were on Butler County this weekend.

First in anticipation as former President Donald Trump chose our community to make a rally appearance just before his presumed nomination for president at the Republican National Convention this week.

Then in tears and shock as a shooter tried to assassinate Trump and killed one spectator — a resident of our county — and critically injured two bystanders. Many also watched as the Secret Service shot and killed the 20-year-old gunman from the rally site at the Butler Farm Show grounds.

As a news outlet, we’ve run stories about mass shootings in the nation and the world. We’ve published the photographs of shocked citizens who can’t possibly grasp how something so horrible has happened in their town.

Now it’s happened in ours. Many of our neighbors and friends witnessed this horror in person and are facing trauma after diving for cover, protecting loved ones and others in the face of gunshots.

While we are grateful that Trump, a guest in our county, was escorted safely from the rally and proud that he was treated at our community hospital, we are grief-stricken over the death of a Buffalo Township father and are praying for the injured spectators.

That is a lot to process in one day. Many of our citizens headed to church for comfort. Still others sought peace with family.

“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting and act of violence that occurred,” the Rev. Fazio, pastor of All Saints Parish, wrote to his congregants on Sunday. “There are feelings of fear, hurt, anger, and sorrow in our community right now. As Christians, we need to remember that during times of darkness, we are called to reflect the light of Christ. May we continue to pray for peace in our world, in our country, and right here at home.”

We are confident Butler County citizens will rally around each other — not speaking angry rhetoric as Republicans and Democrats but reaching out as neighbors. The strength of our connections must be stronger than differences of opinion on politics or policy.

We believe in this community and its leaders. We’ve always worked together here to improve and grow our community. This tragedy won’t change that.

The world will continue to watch us. But how we see and treat each other is what’s most important.

— DJS