The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump has taken a chilling turn with the emergence of a video showing the alleged assailant, Thomas Crooks, lurking near the stage of the rally just an hour before he opened fire.
The video, captured by a rally attendee, shows the 20-year-old suspect in the vicinity of a building he would later ascend to execute his attack. The footage, obtained by WTAE, does not show Crooks in possession of the AR-style rifle he allegedly used to shoot at Trump during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The video's revelation has sparked a series of shocking developments that further question the significant security lapse that allowed the attempt on Trump's life. It was reported that Crooks' father had contacted the police on the day of the shooting due to his son's failure to return from what he believed was a trip to the local shooting range. Furthermore, it was discovered that Crooks had been present at the rally three hours before the shooting, arousing the suspicion of the Secret Service due to his possession of a rangefinder, a device typically used by hunters for long-distance shots.
According to the Daily Mail, Crooks had requested a day off from work on the day of the attack, leaving his colleagues with a chilling message that he would return on Sunday. His father, assuming his son had gone to The Clairton Sportsmen's Club to practice with his rifle, grew increasingly worried as the day progressed and contacted local law enforcement.
Crooks was spotted at the rally's security screening area around 3pm on Saturday, attempting to pass through metal detectors with the rangefinder. Although the device would not have barred him from entering the rally, it did place him on law enforcement's radar. Witnesses reported him acting strangely, frequently checking his phone and using the rangefinder. Despite being monitored by the Secret Service, Crooks managed to evade their surveillance when he left the secure area.
It is believed that Crooks then retrieved the rifle from his car, which also contained a bulletproof vest and two explosive devices. Approximately 40 minutes before the shooting, Crooks reappeared on the Secret Service's radar. A photograph showing the sniper appearing to crawl on the ground while surveying the area was circulated to law enforcement as a suspicious sighting at 5:30pm. Around 6:11pm, Crooks positioned himself on a slanted roof and fired at Trump, wounding him.
Witnesses reported seeing Crooks crawling onto the roof of the American Glass Research building. A Secret Service counter-sniper team codenamed 'Hawkeye' also spotted him using the rangefinder to observe their position. The Clairton Sportsmen's Club, where Crooks' father believed him to be heading around 1 pm, states on its website that its high-power rifle range 'has 10 firing benches with targets at 50, 100 and 187 yards.' It is believed that Crooks was firing from approximately 165 yards when his bullet struck Trump in the right ear.
Club president Bill Sellitto, 77, expressed deep distress when approached by DailyMail.com earlier this week, describing the shooting as appalling'. This isnt us,' he said. 'We are a community. We are having a youth day very soon, more than 100 kids. Members of five different police forces train with us, we support them, and they are part of our community.
The latest developments have raised further questions about the significant security failures that led to the attempted assassination of the former president. Law enforcement took a photo of Crooks an hour before the shooting, adding to mounting evidence that they were aware of his presence well before he pulled the trigger.
In the aftermath of the shooting, investigators sought clues about what may have driven Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to carry out the shocking attack. The FBI is investigating it as a potential act of domestic terrorism, but the absence of a clear ideological motive has led to the proliferation of conspiracy theories. Investigators believe that Crooks acted alone and have confirmed that there is no social media presence that would indicate the attack was politically motivated.
Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe reported that a local officer climbed to the roof and encountered Crooks, who saw the officer and turned toward him just before the officer dropped down to safety. Slupe said the officer couldnt have wielded his own gun under the circumstances. The officer retreated down the ladder, and Crooks quickly took a shot toward Trump, and thats when Secret Service snipers shot him, according to officials.
Crooks used an AR-style rifle, which authorities believe was purchased by his father. The distance of the shot was one from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. It is a distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M-16 rifle.
Investigators also recovered a bulletproof vest and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, which had been purchased, alongside a ladder, on the same day as the shooting, from Crooks' car. Another bulletproof vest, and third remote-controlled bomb was later discovered at the house he shared with his parents.
The latest revelation that a transmitter was also with him has raised fears that Crooks may have been planning to continue his killing spree if he had escaped from the roof with his life, and may have had an accomplice to help him.
Hours earlier, Crooks had asked his boss for the day off, telling him he had 'something to do', before travelling to Saturday's rally. The would-be assassin told colleagues at the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that he would see them on Sunday. Crooks worked there as a dietary aide providing food and care for post-hospital elderly and sick people.
'We are shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement as Thomas Matthew Crooks performed his job without concern and his background check was clean,' administrator Marcie Grimm said in a statement. A colleague at the facility said Crooks never expressed political views at work and wasn't a 'radical'. 'It's hard seeing everything that's going on online because he was a really, really good person that did a really bad thing, and I just wish I knew why,' he added.
The would-be assassin was a registered Republican and 2022 high school graduate. Records show he donated on the day of the 2020 inauguration to a progressive group backing President Joe Biden. He graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County in May with an associate degree in engineering science, according to school officials who said they were 'shocked and saddened by the horrific turn of events'.
Crooks' father Matthew was seen on Tuesday morning for the first time since the shooting as he opened the door of the family home to FBI agents. Both of Crooks' parents are behavioral therapists and Crooks' father said he was baffled by his son's actions. The Justice Department, the Secret Service and the FBI, are due to brief senators about the investigation on Wednesday.
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