A new video has surfaced, showing a troubling scene from just an hour before a dramatic assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
The footage, first highlighted by WTAE in Pittsburgh, captures Thomas Crooks, 20, wandering alone on the outskirts of the rally grounds.
This was on July 14 in Butler, where a large crowd braved the scorching sun to hear the former president speak.
In the video, Crooks is seen moving away from the main crowd, passing a warehouse around 5:03 pm.
The camera briefly loses sight of him but then catches him standing still, looking up.
This eerie footage now adds a layer of unease to Crooks’ behavior leading up to the shooting, which only drew the Secret Service’s attention moments before the attack.
By 5:40 pm, when a photo of Crooks was circulated among officers, he had already disappeared from view, positioning himself on top of the American Glass Research building.
The person who recorded the video was initially focused on capturing the crowd size and had no idea he was documenting the would-be assassin.
“I wanted to get a shot of the massive crowd,” the man said, “so I was just filming the scene.
It wasn’t until after the shooting that I realized I had filmed the shooter.”
He described his shock and inability to sleep after realizing what he had captured.
Crooks was already flagged as suspicious by law enforcement at the time the video was taken.
When two police officers went to investigate, Crooks had already made his way to the roof, where he was seen belly-crawling.
Bystanders alerted authorities, shouting that Crooks was armed. One officer attempted to access the roof but had to retreat when Crooks turned to confront him with an AR-15-style rifle.
At around 6:10 pm, Crooks opened fire, striking Trump in the ear and fatally shooting a nearby spectator, while injuring two others.
Secret Service snipers responded quickly, killing Crooks with counterfire.
This was the first attempt on a U.S. president’s life since 1981.
A Troubling Background
A review of Crooks’ phone by the FBI revealed he had been searching for information on Trump, President Joe Biden, and other notable figures, as well as looking up “major depressive disorder.”
He had also purchased ammunition and built three homemade bombs, with two found in his car and another in his home.
Crooks had received several suspicious packages in the months leading up to the rally.
Security Concerns
Local law enforcement had noticed Crooks pacing around the rally grounds before the shooting.
Despite a report and a photo of the suspicious individual being distributed, officers did not manage to apprehend him in time.
While the Secret Service was responsible for the event’s security perimeter, there’s debate over whether buildings with clear sightlines should have been better monitored.
Controversies and Reactions
Some former security officials argue that the Secret Service should have swept buildings within firing range, while local officials reject claims of responsibility for securing those areas.
The tragic events have sparked a discussion on security protocols and the effectiveness of the protective measures in place.
TDPel Media
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