Summary of the second day of the RNC: Keynote speeches, security concerns and a man shot by police for carrying two knives

The second day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) was marked by high-security concerns, especially after law enforcement shot down a man carrying two knives and threatened a civilian on the perimeter of the event.

According to a report from the AP agency, five members of the Columbus, Ohio, police department fired on a gunned-down man, who, according to Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, had a knife in each hand, refused police commands and charged at an unarmed man before police fired.

Police released body camera footage showing the officers talking before one of them said, "He’s got a knife." Several officers then shouted at the man, "Drop the knife!" as they ran toward two men standing in the street. When the armed attacker approached one of the unarmed men, the officers fired, potentially saving one of the citizens.

“Someone’s life was in danger,” Norman said. “These officers, who were not from this area, took it upon themselves to act and save someone’s life today.”

Following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump last Saturday and this Tuesday's incident, security at the Republican National Convention (RNC) was stepped up to prevent any possible attacks. This became especially crucial after the Secret Service was informed that the Iranian regime has a plan to assassinate the former president.

On this second day of the event, where the main theme was migration and crime, a man was arrested near the convention after an AK-47 pistol was found in his backpack, according to local and federal officials.

His intentions, if he had any, were not immediately clear, according to preliminary reports.

Regardless, the situation has generated great concern among event attendees and also from some Republican officials, who pledged to help maximize security in the wake of Trump's attack in Pennsylvania.

For example, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that his state would send more than 100 law enforcement officers to Milwaukee to help support security operations at the convention.

"As the nation continues to process the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump and grieve the tragic loss of innocent life, now more than ever, it is critical that we stand together to protect our fellow Americans against those who wish us harm," Abbott said.

The agents will be there for a week. They are part of the Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and McAllen police departments.

Also, in an incident of political violence, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Minnesota, claimed he was assaulted by a CODEPINK protester, who denied the congressman's account.

"While standing in line to enter an event at the RNC today, I was assaulted by what appeared to be a member of the pro-Hamas group CODEPINK. A nearby police officer witnessed this assault and I understand they have been arrested," Van Orden claimed on X.

CODEPINK denied this version and said it was their protester who was pushed by Van Orden in the first place.

The most important speeches of the second day of the RNC

This second day of the RNC also saw major speeches from prominent Republican figures who challenged former President Trump during the primaries.

The two most prominent were, without a doubt, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former pre-candidate Nikki Haley. They represented the full cohesion of the Republican Party heading into the upcoming November elections.

In particular, Haley was tough on Kamala Harris, whom she criticized for not taking on the one job assigned by Biden: guarding the border.

"Kamala had one job—one job!—and that was to fix the border. Now imagine her in charge of the entire country," Haley said, drawing cheers from the audience.

DeSantis, one of the most cheered of the day for his pointed and, at times, comical remarks, questioned Joe Biden and the way Democrats and the media have "demonized" Trump in recent years.

"Donald Trump has been demonized, he's been sued, he's been prosecuted, and he nearly lost his life. We can not let him down, and we can not let America down."

Another powerful speech came from another former Republican candidate, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, a prominent Trump ally who used his speech to attract the votes of the black community, legal migrants and Generation Z.

"To black Americans: the media has tried to convince you for decades that Republicans don’t care about your communities. We want for you what we want for every American: safe neighborhoods, clean streets, good jobs, a better life for your children, and a justice system that treats everyone equally – regardless of your skin color or your political beliefs. To every legal immigrant: you’re like my parents. You deserve the opportunity to secure a better life for your children in America (...) And our message to Gen Z is this, you're going to be the generation that actually saves this country. You want to be a rebel? You want to be a hippie? You want to stick it to the man? Show up on your college campus and try calling yourself a conservative. Say you want to get married, have kids, teach them to believe in God and pledge allegiance to their country. Because you know what? Fear has been infectious in this country, but courage can be contagious too. That too is what it means to be an American."

During his message, Ramaswamy also promised deportation for people who illegally crossed the border: "But our message to illegal immigrants is also this, we will return you to your country of origin, not because you're all bad people, but because you broke the law. And the United States of America was founded on the rule of law."

Other keynote speeches came from Florida Senator Marco Rubio and neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who served as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration.

Matt Gaetz takes on McCarthy

In one of the more rivalrous episodes of the convention, Rep. Matt Gaetz tried to interrupt former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's interview.

"You’d get boo’ed off the stage [if he was to speak]," said Gaetz, who was then rebuked by one of the audience members who called him out on his performance against McCarthy.

To see the best speeches and highlights from the 2024 Republican National Convention follow us on our social media platforms, where the VOZ team has live coverage of the entire event. Don't forget to tune in to VOZ News, which airs Monday through Friday starting at 7:00 PM ET.