An assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally left Trump injured and another person dead.
According to Daily Wire, law enforcement identified the attacker, Thomas Matthew Crooks, as suspicious over an hour before the shooting.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was flagged as a suspicious individual by law enforcement at 4:26 p.m. on the day of the Pennsylvania rally. Despite this early warning, Crooks managed to open fire on former President Donald Trump at 6:11 p.m., wounding Trump in the ear. The attack also resulted in the death of 50-year-old Corey Comperatore and injuries to two other rally attendees.
Text messages obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and shared with The New York Times reveal that counter-snipers had identified Crooks as a potential threat well before the shooting occurred. At 5:10 p.m., about an hour before the attack, Crooks was observed by law enforcement outside a building owned by AGR International. Counter-snipers shared photos of Crooks in their group chat and discussed notifying the Secret Service about the suspicious activity.
One officer noted seeing Crooks with a range finder looking towards the stage, suggesting he was planning the attack. They communicated, “Call it in to command and have a uniform check it out,” highlighting the attempts to escalate the situation to higher authorities. Despite these efforts, Crooks was able to proceed with his plan.
At 6:11 p.m., Crooks opened fire on Trump from the rooftop of the AGR building. Trump was struck in the ear, and the attack left two other rally attendees injured. Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed in the incident. Crooks fired at least eight times before counter-snipers responded and killed him.
Body camera footage from the scene shows officers trying to determine how Crooks managed to get to the location undetected. In the footage, Crooks can be seen lying dead in a pool of blood with the rifle he used in the attack.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with significant questions surrounding the apparent security failures at the rally. House lawmakers recently voted to create a task force to investigate the attack and the sequence of events that led to the tragedy. This investigation aims to uncover how Crooks was able to bypass security measures and carry out the attack despite being flagged as suspicious.
One officer can be heard in the body camera footage expressing confusion: "I'm trying to figure out how this guy got here."
Another officer noted the number of shots fired by Crooks, pointing out shell casings and stating, "Looks like, what, at least eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. At least eight."
The texts exchanged among counter-snipers indicate that they were aware of Crooks' suspicious behavior but were unable to prevent the attack. They mentioned that someone had followed their lead and parked near their cars, hinting at Crooks’ movements before the shooting. This lapse in security has raised concerns about the protocols and measures in place to protect high-profile figures at public events.
The officer's message, “Kid learning around building we are in. AGR I believe it is. I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him,” underscores the gravity of the situation and the missed opportunity to prevent the attack.
The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally has sparked a significant investigation into security lapses. Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was flagged as suspicious more than an hour before the attack, managed to carry out his deadly plan, injuring Trump and killing Corey Comperatore. The incident has prompted House lawmakers to create a task force to investigate the attack and prevent future security failures. As the investigation continues, questions remain about how Crooks was able to evade detection and execute the attack despite early warnings.
