UTSA Football Coach's Son Protected Fellow Reporter at Donald Trump Rally Shooting

Patrick Andres | Jul 16, 2024

Sep 23, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; UTSA Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the UTSA Roadrunners at Neyland Stadium. / Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The United States and world were shocked Saturday by an attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Penn. in a shooting that killed one and injured two others.

However, the shooting hit particularly close to home for UTSA football coach Jeff Traylor—because his son, NBC News reporter Jake Traylor, was covering the rally at which the shooting took place.

On Monday, the elder Traylor released a statement about his son's presence at the shooting and addressed news that he had shielded a colleague—ABC News' Rachel Scott—while 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Penn. fired on Trump.

"I didn't get to speak to him until late that night because he was covering the event. He was pretty shook up," Jeff Traylor said. "I did not find out about him taking cover on the ground and protecting his colleagues until I saw it on social media... I am very proud of what he did, but it doesn't surprise me in the least. That has always been Jake."

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

Jake, 26, called the events "harrowing.".

"We heard the shots. Immediately, I saw Trump go down pretty quickly. I also saw the crowd go down," he said via Nick Moyle of The San Antonio Express-News. "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."

Scott thanked him the younger Traylor for his actions after the fact.

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