New evidence is emerging about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. A video clip has emerged of the moments leading up to the assassination attempt, raising new questions about the security lapses that allowed the incident to happen.
Specifically, in the video, citizens are seen watching 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks climb onto the roof from which he shot the former US president. “He’s climbing up onto the roof, do you see him? Is he lying down?” citizens can be heard saying, “Let’s see him, he’s lying down.” “Police here, there’s someone on the roof,” a uniformed figure shouts.
It is noteworthy that according to With the Associated PressAccording to security sources, a local police officer climbed onto the roof and saw Crooks, who pointed his gun at him. Then, according to the same sources, the officer stepped back and Crooks shot Trump in the next few seconds.
“The police are here, there’s someone on the roof,” the witnesses shouted.
broke down:
New Video Shows How Early People Spotted Trump Shooter And Started Alerting Police pic.twitter.com/ZC2wrsJNfm
– Visegrad 24 (@Visegrad24) July 15, 2024
Secret Service blames local police
According to With the New York Post, The Secret Service accused local police of failing to secure the roof. From there, the gunman attempted to assassinate the former president, insisting he was outside the perimeter the federal agency was tasked with protecting.
In contrast, the AGR International Inc. plant was secured and monitored. Its location, about 130 meters from the podium where Trump spoke on Saturday, was the responsibility of local police in Pennsylvania, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, according to the New York Times.
The Secret Service was tasked only with covering the grounds where Trump’s rally took place, while local police were brought in to assist in those efforts and secure the area outside the rally.
What eyewitnesses said
But neighbors who live near the Butler Farm Show Grounds told the newspaper they were never visited by any law enforcement agencies — local or federal — in the days leading up to or during the parade.
Attendees reported seeing 20-year-old Thomas Crooks acting suspiciously near the metal detectors at the rally, according to CNN, alerting local police authorities and sending radio warnings to the Secret Service to look for him.
He was also reportedly seen carrying a gun outside a security checkpoint to enter the compound, and was later seen jumping “from rooftop to rooftop” before settling down at the AGR plant.
Local authorities over the body of the perpetrator
And requested assistance from the local police authorities.
The Secret Service confirmed that it relied on local law enforcement to help secure the event, telling The Washington Post that relying on local agencies for support is common practice.
In addition to placing areas outside the rally perimeter under local police authority, at least six officers from Butler County’s regular units supplemented the Secret Service strike team — the heavily armed agents who covered Trump’s evacuation — which included just two Secret Service members. The Secret Service itself
The Secret Service sniper teams were backed up by two local sniper teams. Pennsylvania police said they assisted the Secret Service and do so regularly when high-level government officials come to town, but the federal agency ultimately takes the lead.
“The Secret Service always takes the lead in securing something like this,” Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivins told reporters. “We work with them to provide whatever the Secret Service asks for, but they have the final say on security.”
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