A local law enforcement officer spotted a suspicious man carrying a range-finder before the would-be assassin opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.
A local law enforcement officer spotted a suspicious man carrying a range-finder "in or just-outside" the venue before former President Donald Trump took the stage at his rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania on Saturday night, according to a law enforcement source. The officer reported the sighting to state police, the source said. He took a photo, and there was a discussion about whether what he was carrying was a pair of binoculars to try and see the rally better.
Minutes into Trump's remarks, a would-be assassin identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire, according to authorities. He wounded the former president, killed a 50-year-old father of two and wounded two more spectators before a Secret Service counter-sniper neutralized the threat.
Eyewitness Account Emerges in Trump Assassination Plot
It was not immediately clear how long Crooks was on the roof, but sources say he was initially seen without the gun about 30 minutes before the attack. State police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the source's version of events.
Several witnesses have also come forward in interviews and videos on social media claiming they reported seeing an armed man before the shooting started. However, experts say that just because someone is on a roof does not mean the counter-sniper team can open fire. They must perceive a threat before using force.
Eyewitness Account Emerges in Trump Assassination Plot
Eventually, Crooks made it up onto the roof with a DPMS AR-15 rifle, which authorities recovered at the scene. It had been purchased legally by his father more than a decade ago, according to law enforcement sources.
Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe said in interviews with local media that a county deputy confronted Crooks moments before the shooting but ducked for cover when he peered above the edge of the roof and the killer turned the gun on him.
Eyewitness Account Emerges in Trump Assassination Plot
Security outside the Secret Service's secured perimeter is typically handled by state and local law enforcement. The FBI announced earlier Monday that it had broken into Crooks' phone and was examining the device for evidence.
Authorities were also still in search of a motive. They said it appeared that Crooks had acted as a lone wolf, but the investigation was ongoing. Nearly 100 people, including witnesses and members of law enforcement, had been interviewed as of Monday afternoon.
Eyewitness Account Emerges in Trump Assassination Plot
