Hello everyone! Today, we delve into a dramatic and alarming incident that has left the nation in shock. This past Saturday, former President Donald Trump was targeted in a shooting that unfolded with intense precision and a series of unexpected developments. Let’s break down the sequence of events and uncover the details that led to this chilling encounter.
Three snipers were stationed inside the building from which the shooter launched his attack, as revealed by a local law enforcement officer to CBS News. These snipers were part of a strategic plan positioned to oversee the Trump rally from their vantage points within the building. BeaverCountian.com was the first to report this information.
Now, imagine this scenario: one of the snipers noticed a man named Thomas Matthew Crooks outside the building. Crooks was observed scrutinizing the roof, disappearing, and then reappearing multiple times. His suspicious behavior didn’t go unnoticed. At one point, he was seen sitting down, looking at his phone, and later, taking out a rangefinder—a device used to measure distance. This prompted one of the snipers to take a picture of him and radio in his activities to the command post.
The situation escalated quickly. Crooks vanished again, only to return with a backpack. The snipers relayed this critical update, noting that Crooks was heading towards the back of the building. Officers speculated that he might have used an air conditioning unit to access the roof. By the time additional officers arrived for backup, Crooks had already climbed onto the roof, positioning himself above and behind the snipers inside the building.
Despite the swift action of the officers and the state police rushing to the scene, the situation reached a deadly climax when a Secret Service sniper ultimately shot and killed Crooks.
Former President Trump, who sustained an injury in the attack, is currently recovering. However, the incident has sparked a storm of criticism and anger within the law enforcement community. Ron Layton, a former Secret Service agent, expressed his fury over the apparent security lapse. “People who worked in the Secret Service and people in the active service are furious,” Layton said in an interview with CBS Pittsburgh. “We are angry. I am angry.”
These are just insane details from CBS News regarding the failure on Saturday.
Snipers inside the building had spotted Crooks scoping the building, but no one actually stopped him until it was too late. https://t.co/lGVOrRdjKh pic.twitter.com/3fwXn0EDHq
— AG (@AGHamilton29) July 16, 2024
The tragedy extended beyond Trump. A 20-year-old gunman positioned approximately 400 feet away from the rally managed to fire shots that not only injured Trump but also resulted in the death of a bystander and critically wounded two others. Layton emphasized the gravity of the situation by highlighting a fundamental security failure. “He shouldn’t have access to the roof,” he stated. “That’s the job, that’s why you staff that building. So, that should have never happened.”
Adding to the unfolding narrative, Michael Slupe, the sheriff of Butler County, commented on the pre-planning meeting held with local law enforcement and the Secret Service. He admitted that he couldn’t recall if the building used by the shooter was discussed during their preparations. “I don’t remember that as part of the conversation,” Slupe mentioned. “It wasn’t part of our pre-plan. And obviously, I can’t comment because that would be levels higher than the sheriff to answer that question.”
Unbelievable. Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle now admits that the USSS knew the building 125 yards from President Trump was a huge vulnerability, but didn’t station an agent there because it had a “sloped roof.”
“That building in particular has a sloped roof at its…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 16, 2024
And yet…
The “sloped” roof where the shooter was able to engage in his assassination attempt is far less sloped than the one with SS snipers.
Nobody believes this excuse. https://t.co/OShmfABX4d pic.twitter.com/cBy167arJ6
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) July 16, 2024
As the investigation continues and former President Trump recuperates, the nation watches closely, seeking answers and accountability for the lapses that led to this harrowing event. Stay tuned for more updates as we follow this developing story.
Still flabbergasted about everything we’ve learned about the Secret Service under Kimberly Cheatle. Diversity quotas. Majority-female trainee classes. Keeping agents off a high-risk building because it has a “sloped roof.”
They’re approaching the security of a future president…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 16, 2024