An attempted assassination of Donald Trump occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident involved a gunman, Thomas Crooks, who was spotted by rallygoers and local police before opening fire from a nearby rooftop.
A U.S. official told NBC that local police officers and rallygoers alerted the Secret Service about a suspicious individual before the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Donald Trump was holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when local police officers were alerted by rallygoers about a suspicious person. The individual, later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was seen pacing and behaving strangely near the event's magnetometers. Local police pursued Crooks on foot and notified the Secret Service about the suspicious person, though the timing of this notification relative to Trump's stage appearance remains unclear.
Crooks was found on the roof of a nearby glass research company's building before he opened fire. The roof where Crooks was located was outside the Secret Service's central security perimeter, although the agency had identified the roof as a potential vulnerability before the event. An independent review panel has been announced to investigate the incident, with top lawmakers in Congress demanding answers and planning their own investigations.
At least half a dozen rally attendees pointed to the gunman on the roof before the shooting occurred. Videos and interviews show mounting panic among attendees as they realize the threat. The gunman was on the roof for at least two minutes before opening fire, during which rally spectator Greg Smith saw the gunman and tried to alert law enforcement.
Five shots were fired during the incident. Following the shooting, the Secret Service stated that the roof was primarily under local law enforcement's responsibility. Two FBI investigators scanned the roof of AGR International Inc. the day after the incident, and Secret Service officials emphasized the agency's ultimate responsibility for the security of their protectees.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called for public knowledge about potential security lapses. Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent, highlighted the need for clear communication between police and Secret Service during such incidents.
Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service spokesperson, stated: Director Kimberly Cheatle has been working with the secretary [of homeland security] and the White House on the development of the independent review panel. She will ensure they have the necessary authority and ability to review the entirety of the incident, including planning, resourcing, and staffing.
Rallygoers were visibly disturbed during the event, as evidenced by video footage showing them pointing to the gunman and attempting to alert authorities. A rallygoer was heard in a video saying, "There he is, right there. Right there, see him? He’s laying down, see him?" while another woman yelled, "He’s on the roof! He’s right here! He’s right on the roof!"
Greg Smith, a rally spectator, recounted his experience: The police are down there running around on the ground. We’re like, ‘Hey man, there’s a guy on the roof with a rifle.’ The police were like, ‘Huh, what?’ — like they didn’t know what was going on. We’re like, ‘Right here on the roof. We can see him from right here. We can see him. He’s crawling.’
In the aftermath of the incident, the focus has shifted to understanding how such a breach in security could occur and ensuring it does not happen again. Secret Service officials stressed their responsibility for the protection of their charges, but local law enforcement also played a key role in the event's security.
Greg Smith continued: I’m thinking to myself: Why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off the stage? Next thing you know, five shots ring out.
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has highlighted significant security lapses and prompted calls for a comprehensive review. As investigations continue, both local law enforcement and the Secret Service face scrutiny over their handling of the incident and their communication strategies. With multiple parties demanding answers, the findings of the independent review panel will be crucial in shaping future security measures for public figures.
