US - Shots fired at Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania as former president is seen with blood across his face, 13 July 2024

[vls12345]

Based on the pics we’ve seen, the roof appears to have some kind of ledge or gutter that could have partially obstructed the snipers’ view, depending on their angle. They may have spotted him — especially if there was commotion from the officer trying to climb up — but the rifle might have been obscured.

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Even with eyes on him, I don’t think they can just shoot any potentially unarmed person — he could’ve been an attendee trying to get a better view, or a photographer. Or can you imagine if they shot some kid who had gotten away from his parents and was just goofing around climbing on roofs??

Seems that they got him just moments after he lifted his weapon to shoot.

Tough job.

I’m no expert, but I imagine the blame will fall on the lack of planning, preparation, searching, and securing — not on the snipers.

I am not placing blame on the sniper. He was probably following protocol. Those protocols and his actions still do need to be reviewed.

I am placing blame on the Secret Service for what seem like multiple lapses at multiple stages. Even if the sniper had to wait for confirmation before shooting, the Secret Service agents by the stage should have already been moving to cover and evacuate Trump from a potential threat.

As I said, there should have been multiple scenarios considered and planned for. It feels like that wasn't the case. Of course we, the public, don't really know and the Secret Service has been oddly quiet since yesterday.

Even with multiple agencies involved, I would assume the Secret Service would ultimately be the lead. They were tasked to protect Trump. Not the crowd. And yet, the shooter seemingly had easy access to fire multiple clear shots, was spotted by multiple civilians, etc. I think the fact that Trump was only minorly injured is due to sheer luck (of turning his head) as his survival wasn't seemingly due to him being properly protected by the security team. Even when getting him to the vehicle, he was clearly visibe multiple times. It's lucky there were no other shooters or he could have been targeted then too.

I remain shocked at what seem like glaring failures by an elite force.

Imo.

 

[Knox]

Reporting is that he had secret service protection, supplemented by local LE. I can’t fathom him having personal security there, as that’s precisely what the Secret Service provides.

They would only allow their people to be in that inner ring.

Coming in late, have we learned anything about Crooks yet?

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1812567027103453610

 

[SMK777]

I don't think a sniper in any police agency should be going for the blending in look, Nothing blends in about having a rifle on a roof. I'd say a local agency would want to overly appear to be LE if they had a sniper on a roof at the same event that SS snipers were also present. We see how quickly and accurately the SS neutralize a threat once they lock in on it. There is no way local LE want to blend in and get shot.

Also this kid could not pass as LE. He was in shorts and a T-shirt. Surely a sniper would be wearing protective gear no matter what agency they are with.

Then what is the answer to how this was allowed to happen?

 

[Knox]

The suspect in the attempted shooting of former President Donald Trump on Saturday was apprehended while wearing merchandise associated with the popular YouTube channel, Demolition Ranch.

The incident occurred during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania where Trump was addressing a crowd of supporters. Authorities killed the suspect, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, after he allegedly fired several shots toward the stage where Trump was speaking.

Authorities noted that Crooks was wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a YouTube channel known for its firearms and demolition content. The channel, hosted by Matt Carriker, boasts millions of subscribers and features videos that explore the capabilities of various firearms and explosive devices.

On Instagram, Carriker posted a photo of the downed suspect wearing the merchandise with the words: "What the hell."

"Demolition Ranch" owner responds to Thomas Matthew Crooks shooting Trump

The suspected shooter was reportedly wearing a T-shirt from firearms YouTube channel Demolition Ranch.

www.newsweek.com

Has anyone searched for/found a Youtube user profile for TC?

 

[su5ie]

Hmmm.....kid couldn't make the rifle team in high school and then attempts to assassinate a major politician in a place where that politician is very popular.

The kid's parents are both mental health professionals and he commits a crime (with his dad's gun) that will surely devastate his parents and put national attention on them.

I'm thinking this was an "eff-U" to people in his life more than anything political. He could be like a different version of Hinkley who shot Reagan but not for political reasons.

I could be wrong, of course. Just brainstorming.

jmo

Where does it say his parents are mental health professionals wow !! I always assume that people who do this sort of thing mass shootings ,assassinations, shooting random stranger would be profiled as mental health suffers overlooked by the health system not that I feel it should be a get out of jail card but it does offer a reasonable explanation to why someone would do these type of things I mean especially the assassination attempt on trump its a deathwish clearly the guy had problems

 

[Tricia]

Is the Irish independent quotable MSM?

The bit of research I did seems to show this to be a mainstream media source from Ireland; however, since I am not familiar with this publication, I want to caution you that if you post an article, please make sure it is not some wacky conspiracy story.

 

[Inthedetails]

I am not placing blame on the sniper. He was probably following protocol. Those protocols and his actions still do need to be reviewed.

I am placing blame on the Secret Service for what seem like multiple lapses at multiple stages. Even if the sniper had to wait for confirmation before shooting, the Secret Service agents by the stage should have already been moving to cover and evacuate Trump from a potential threat.

As I said, there should have been multiple scenarios considered and planned for. It feels like that wasn't the case. Of course we, the public, don't really know and the Secret Service has been oddly quiet since yesterday.

Even with multiple agencies involved, I would assume the Secret Service would ultimately be the lead. They were tasked to protect Trump. Not the crowd. And yet, the shooter seemingly had easy access to fire multiple clear shots, was spotted by multiple civilians, etc. I think the fact that Trump was only minorly injured is due to sheer luck (of turning his head) as his survival wasn't seemingly due to him being properly protected by the security team. Even when getting him to the vehicle, he was clearly visibe multiple times. It's lucky there were no other shooters or he could have been targeted then too.

I remain shocked at what seem like glaring failures by an elite force.

Imo.

The initial weak spot to investigate, imo, is how the perimeter was determined and then how each agency was assigned to monitor what area.

I know I'm 100% an unqualified armchair commentator, but that building seems like it should have been IN the perimeter.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Where does it say his parents are mental health professionals wow !! I always assume that people who do this sort of thing mass shootings ,assassinations, shooting random stranger would be profiled as mental health suffers overlooked by the health system not that I feel it should be a get out of jail card but it does offer a reasonable explanation to why someone would do these type of things I mean especially the assassination attempt on trump its a deathwish clearly the guy had problems

"Public records show he shared a home with parents who were licensed behavioral care counselors."

Trump rally shooting: what we know about the suspected gunman

The 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican who donated to a progressive Super Pac

www.theguardian.com

 

[Cedars]

I would imagine a sitting president has a bigger security detail

I agree. Not intending any slight towards the victim or other candidates in the past who have been shot, but a sitting president is in a position of actual, real, power, so it is the highest level of constitutional crisis if the current head of state and head of government is harmed.

It's not about fame, or respect, it's about who actually holds the reins of state power in the moment.

JMO

 

[Ghostwheel]

Coming in late, have we learned anything about Crooks yet?

In posts above, gun purchased by father legally, but unknown if given to TC or taken by TC. FBI has his phone. Said to not have much of a Social Media presence. They found his vehicle, though not much said about it. No knowledge of why he did this at this time. And he had a job as a dietary aid.

Other bits and pieces.

 

[indicolite22]

FBI: Suspect had no indication of mental health issues

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek just said that, so far, there are no indications that Crooks was suffering from any mental health issues.
The FBI is currently focused on Crooks' motivations, particularly via his social media.
"We have not seen anything threatening," he added. "But it's still very early on."
The FBI is still "working to get access" to Crooks' phone. It is currently being sent to an FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.
Recent communications have revealed nothing as to his motivations or a larger plan, according to the FBI officials on the call.

Live updates: Bandaged Trump gets rapturous welcome at Republican convention

The former president makes his first public appearance since the attempted assassination, arriving with a bandaged ear to cheers and applause.

www.bbc.co.uk

That is interesting about the absence of MH issues. I was waiting for quotable info on that because I have seen claims to the contrary. Is it possible that he had issues but was not seeing a professional about it?

 

[su5ie]

"Public records show he shared a home with parents who were licensed behavioral care counselors."

Trump rally shooting: what we know about the suspected gunman

The 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican who donated to a progressive Super Pac

www.theguardian.com

Thank you had not seen this and behavioural care counsellors too

 

[kuromiiiilove]

I think finding social media will be crucial in determining motive. Most US domestic terrorists/mass shooters nowadays are radicalized primarily online, so it’s doubly interesting to me they seem to be unable to turn up SM profiles for Crooks. I assume they’ve already looked at more popular sites (Snapchat, IG, tiktok, etc). I also saw he had a discord account but didn’t use it (I believe that was posted up thread but I’ll look for the source). I’d be most interested in message board apps like Reddit/4chan and other apps that boast E2E encryption as a main feature (like WhatsApp or other apps that give you a ‘second number’).

 

[clorenc]

Maybe she wrote the message herself. JMO.

I suppose it’s possible.

 

[MassGuy]

That is interesting about the absence of MH issues. I was waiting for quotable info on that because I have seen claims to the contrary. Is it possible that he had issues but was not seeing a professional about it?

I’m sure he did. Outside of religiously motivated terror, mentally healthy people don’t commit what was effectively a murder/suicide.

 

[Inthedetails]

Thank you had not seen this and behavioural care counsellors too

I should have included the link in my post and am grateful your comment prompted me to toss it in the thread. I think it's important background info, fwiw.

jmo

 

[Knox]

"Public records show he shared a home with parents who were licensed behavioral care counselors."

Trump rally shooting: what we know about the suspected gunman

The 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican who donated to a progressive Super Pac

www.theguardian.com

A young man who described himself as a former schoolmate of Crooks at Bethel Park high school spoke with reporters Sunday recalled how his ex-companion “was bullied almost every day” by those around him.

The man told NBC News and other outlets that Crooks’ penchant for wearing “hunting” and “military” clothes as well as eating alone at lunch drew derision from his peers, who considered him a “loner” and an “outcast”.

“You know how kids are these days – they’re going to see someone like that and they’re going to target him because they think it’s funny or whatever,” the man said to journalists.

While the man made clear he wasn’t saying any of those experiences fueled Saturday’s assassination attempt, he added: “It’s honestly kind of sad … He was bullied so much.”

Trump rally shooting: what we know about the suspected gunman

The 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican who donated to a progressive Super Pac

www.theguardian.com

 

[acutename]

I like how transparent they are being. We typically get leaks at this stage, but nothing from investigators themselves.

That phone is going to tell a story.

except if he is really a "loner," maybe he did not share any of his ideas with anyone. I do wonder if he practiced climbing up on this or some similar building and if the access was easy.

 

[Tricia]

My Friends,
I don't like taking my blood pressure medicine however, due to the fact that some members have been making blatant political posts about this situation has caused me to double my medication today.
WE DO NOT ALLOW POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS. This is about the horrific crime of an attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. Please keep on topic.
The on-topic discussion includes what is uncovered about the shooter. His information is relevant.
Thank you very much. My blood pressure thanks you as well.
Tricia