Chilling footage has emerged showing Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, walking through a crowd at a Pennsylvania rally hours before opening fire.
According to Fox News, the video, released by clothing company Iron Clad USA, captures Crooks casually strolling past vendors selling Trump merchandise ahead of the July 13 event in Butler, Pennsylvania. This new evidence was first reported by
The brief clip, recorded at 4:26 p.m., shows Crooks dressed in shorts and a "Demolitia" T-shirt, the same attire he wore during the shooting nearly two hours later.
Joe Tomko, the owner of Iron Clad USA, provided the video to Fox News Digital, explaining that he and his family were promoting merchandise in an area known as "vendors row" when they inadvertently captured footage of the suspect.
According to Tomko, most attendees had already entered the rally perimeter by 4:15 p.m., leaving the vendor area relatively quiet. It wasn't until a week after the incident that Tomko and his family realized they had recorded the shooter while reviewing their photos and videos from the event.
Tomko described his reaction to the discovery, saying, "I felt shock, disbelief, and sadness, realizing I had a video of this man on my phone." He promptly contacted law enforcement to share the footage, hoping it would assist in establishing a timeline of events for the investigation.
The video initially received little attention when posted on social media on July 23. However, it recently gained traction and went viral, shedding new light on the suspect's movements before the attack.
At approximately 6:11 p.m. on July 13, Crooks opened fire on Trump and rally attendees. He had positioned himself on the roof of a nearby AGR building, from where he fired eight shots. One bullet grazed Trump's right ear, while one attendee, Corey Comperatore, was fatally struck. Two others suffered serious injuries in the attack.
According to a preliminary report released by Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., all eight shell casings were recovered and are in the possession of the FBI. The report also noted that Crooks' position on the roof provided excellent concealment from the northern counter-sniper team due to foliage and tree branches.
A Butler SWAT operator fired one shot at Crooks from approximately 100 yards away, striking the suspect's rifle stock. The impact fragmented the stock, causing injuries to Crooks' face and shoulder area. Rep. Higgins believes this shot likely damaged the buffer tube on Crooks' rifle, rendering it inoperable after the eighth shot.
The U.S. Secret Service has acknowledged the existence of the new footage and stated that they are reviewing various video materials from July 13 as part of their mission assurance review. A spokesperson for the agency said:
The U.S. Secret Service is committed to examining the processes, procedures, and factors that led to this operational failure so that we can ensure it never happens again.
The FBI has faced scrutiny regarding their handling of Crooks' body. According to Rep. Higgins' report, the bureau released the body for cremation just 10 days after the incident. An FBI spokesperson defended this action, stating that it was done in coordination with the coroner's office and state and local law enforcement partners, following normal procedures.
The newly released video provides a haunting glimpse of the attempted assassin calmly walking through the rally area hours before the attack. This evidence has raised questions about security measures and the suspect's ability to move freely before carrying out the shooting. The ongoing investigation continues to piece together the events leading up to the assassination attempt on former President Trump, with law enforcement agencies reviewing all available footage and evidence to prevent similar incidents in the future.
