A Pennsylvania police officer revealed in newly released bodycam footage that he had warned the Secret Service to secure the building where a would-be assassin opened fire on former President Trump's rally days earlier. The footage and witness statements raise concerns about the security measures in place for the event.
A Pennsylvania police officer has disclosed in newly released bodycam footage that he had previously alerted the Secret Service about the need to secure the building from which a would-be assassin fired upon former President Trump's rally.
The footage, captured by a Butler Township police officer, suggests that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the alleged shooter, may have utilized a wooden pallet to ascend the building before his failed assassination attempt.
Newly Released Bodycam Footage Shows Officer Warns Secret Service Days Before Trump Rally of Security Risks
Approximately 13 minutes after Crooks was neutralized by a sniper, the officer walks around the AGR building and expresses frustration with the Secret Service's failure to have agents on the premises.
"I told them that f---ing Tuesday. I told them to f---ing post guys over here," the officer states.
Newly Released Bodycam Footage Shows Officer Warns Secret Service Days Before Trump Rally of Security Risks
Another police officer, believed to be from Butler City Police Department, responds, "I thought you guys were on the roof."
"No, we were inside," the Butler Township Police Department officer replies.
Newly Released Bodycam Footage Shows Officer Warns Secret Service Days Before Trump Rally of Security Risks
This exchange highlights potential organizational deficiencies in the security arrangements for the rally, leading to accusations among participating agencies.
The footage also shows two Secret Service agents inside the building. Speaking to a fellow officer, the Butler Township police officer reiterates his earlier communications with the Secret Service.
Newly Released Bodycam Footage Shows Officer Warns Secret Service Days Before Trump Rally of Security Risks
"I talked to the Secret Service guys, and they were like, ‘Yeah, no problem, we’re going to post guys over here,'" he says.
The officer later informs a countersniper that he had explicitly requested the Secret Service to have agents at the venue, emphasizing the urgency he had conveyed during a meeting on Tuesday.
The bodycam footage captures the officer arriving on the scene approximately one minute after Crooks was shot. Desperate to access the building, he inquires about a ladder but is informed that Crooks likely utilized a nearby wooden pallet.
Previous reports indicated that Crooks had purchased a ladder from Home Depot, but none was found at the scene.
The footage underscores the challenging and desperate efforts police faced in attempting to gain access to the building. The officer eventually assists two countersnipers onto the roof by hoisting them onto a storage shed, which they then use to access the roof. The pallet, initially resting against the shed, could have also been employed by Crooks.
In response to the released footage, the U.S. Secret Service acknowledged its review of the incident and expressed its appreciation for the efforts of local law enforcement.
"The U.S. Secret Service appreciates our local law enforcement partners, who acted courageously as they worked to locate the shooter that day," the agency said in a statement. "The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a U.S. Secret Service failure, and we are reviewing and updating our protective policies and procedures in order to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again."
Fox News' Brooke Curto contributed to this report.
