PA - Assassination attempt, shooting injures former POTUS Donald Trump, leaves 1 spectator deceased two in critical condition, 13 July 2024 #2

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Earlier we read no ladder was involved, and now CNN is reporting he purchased one at HD that morning…

CNN —
In the 48 hours before he opened fire on former President Donald Trump, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks made a series of stops in and around his suburban Pittsburgh hometown.

On Friday, he went to a shooting range where he was a member, and practiced firing, a law enforcement official told CNN. The next morning, Crooks went to a Home Depot, where he bought a five-foot ladder, and a gun store, where he purchased 50 rounds of ammunition, the official said.


Most people probably assumed he worked there if he had a ladder in tow. Brazen.
 
I don't know why he wore a mask and it could very well be he was sick and/or he was concerned about someone in his family getting sick.

But, if we set that aside, it is curious why he would continue wearing a mask after they were required. Was it a quiet way of being defiant? Did he like behaving in ways that the people around him didn't like? Did he wear the mask as it put some distance between himself and others, sort of an excuse to be quiet?

The mask is an odd detail, imo, and I've always thought the most interesting bits of any situation or story are in the details.

jmo
That is an interesting question. We can all probably think of different circumstances. I know someone who is still extremely worried about getting Covid, and they get as many items delivered as possible, but when they do have to venture out they still wear one of the N95 masks. This is in part of the country where people probably didn't even wear masks during the height of Covid. My friend has actually seen rude signs that say things like "Wearing a mask? We don't want your business." So yes, there could be some sort of defiance going on, or a statement being made.
 
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-One sniper inside spotted the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, outside and looking up at the roof, observing the building and disappearing, according to the officer who spoke to CBS News. The sniper observed Crooks as he returned to the building, sat down and looked at his phone. At that point, one of the local snipers took a picture of Crooks.

Next, the local sniper observed Crooks looking through a rangefinder, an instrument routinely used by marksmen to determine the distance of a target, and he immediately radioed to the command post, according to the local law enforcement officer. The local sniper also attempted to send the photo of the gunman up the chain of command.

The command post, according to multiple law enforcement officials, served as a central hub to streamline communications between U.S. Secret Service and the local officers from nearby state and county police forces. It is unclear if the command post received the alert.

Officials then lost track of Crooks, who disappeared, but soon returned for a third time with a backpack. The local sniper team called for backup — alerting the command post that the gunman had a backpack and was walking toward the back of the building.

By the time other local officers responded to the backup request, the gunman had scaled the building, positioning himself above and behind the local snipers inside the building, according to the officer.

Two other municipal police officers who heard the call for back-up attempted to climb onto the roof. Butler County Sheriff Michael Sloupe told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA that an armed municipal officer with Butler Township was hoisted by another officer onto the roof of the building where the gunman had taken a position. Crooks focused his rifle towards the officer who ultimately let go, falling off the roof. Moments later, the shooter began firing into the crowd.
 
That is an interesting question. However, we can all probably think of different circumstances. I know someone who is still extremely worried about getting Covid, and they get as many items delivered as possible, but when they do have to venture out they still wear one of the N95 masks. This is in part of the country where people probably didn't even wear masks during the height of Covid. My friend has actually seen rude signs that say things like "Wearing a mask? We don't want your business." So yes, there could be some sort of defiance going on, or a statement being made.
That's incredible. The part about signs that say they don't want business from ppl wearing masks. Sad.
 
It was $15 and doesn't mean anything. But the app has been around around since 2004. It's an app that streamlines donations. He used AB to donate to a particular group. However $15 is nothing. He likely saw an ad online and it interested him on that day and clicked on it. No different than donating $15 for whatever....


Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the gunman’s street address gave $15 to Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee, on Inauguration Day in January 2021, when Crooks was 17.

A spokesperson for Progressive Turnout Project said in an email that the group had received the donation “in response to an email about tuning into the inauguration” and that “the email address associated with the contribution only made the one contribution and was unsubscribed from our lists 2 years ago.”

....

Later that year, a week after turning 18, Crooks registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age and address. Crooks only cast a ballot once, in the 2022 midterm general election, an Allegheny County spokesperson told CNN.

BBM
 
So far, nobody takes responsibility, resigns or is fired. Director reports to Myorkas and potus only, correct?

Thanks for this link, @Missing Susan !

I find some of the comments below intriguing.
Omo.
 
A thought I had was his failure to make the rifle team in school.

..

Myers told ABC News Crooks had tried to join their high school's rifle team, but was rejected and told not to try out again.

"He didn't just not make the team, he was asked not to come back because how bad of a shot he was, it was considered like, dangerous," Myers said.

I think that may have been a triggering event. I'm sure there were others, but to me that stands out.

I think he may have been into a few games?

There is a chance he never said anything online that could provide a window to his plan. Not everyone expresses their thoughts online.

Of course, the FBI does need to do a thorough investigation. Most importantly, they need to determine if there are any connections to others or groups etc. They're investigating it as domestic terrorism. (Maybe the explosives allowed them to do this?)

If they find out that he doesn't have connections to groups or other people (which seems to be the case) they determine that he acted alone.

The public is curious about motivation. The FBI's goal is to prevent future events.
He may have never expressed his motivations online.

MOO

ETA: So many of these shooters are under 21. Their brains are still going through the maturation process.
 
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Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the gunman’s street address gave $15 to Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee, on Inauguration Day in January 2021, when Crooks was 17.

A spokesperson for Progressive Turnout Project said in an email that the group had received the donation “in response to an email about tuning into the inauguration” and that “the email address associated with the contribution only made the one contribution and was unsubscribed from our lists 2 years ago.”

....

Later that year, a week after turning 18, Crooks registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age and address. Crooks only cast a ballot once, in the 2022 midterm general election, an Allegheny County spokesperson told CNN.

BBM
Thanks for the link.

Nothing that stands out, really.

Wonder if it was suicide by cop-type scenario ?
Omo.
 

Secret Service ramped up security after receiving intel of Iranian plot to assassinate Trump; no known connection to shooting:​



US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president in recent weeks, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.

There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.

The existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign intelligence agency — and the enhanced security for Trump — raises new questions about the security lapses at the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and how a 20-year-old man managed to access a nearby rooftop to fire shots that injured the former president.


It’s not clear whether the specifics of the Iran threat were shared with the Trump campaign, which said in a statement: “We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service.”

The Secret Service recently “added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Sunday.

Secret Service officials have warned the Trump campaign repeatedly against holding outdoor rallies, which pose greater risks than events to which the agency can better control access, people briefed on the matter said. The warnings have been more general in nature, the sources said.

At one point during this election cycle, the campaign stopped holding spontaneous off-the-record events where guests weren’t swept by Secret Service beforehand due to security concerns, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

 
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ABC News now:

The staging area was inside the building the shooter climbed on.
My first thought after learning this, honestly, was an image of the Keystone Kops running in circles.

I wonder if any LE inside the building heard "weird thumps" coming from the roof?

And truly, if that building was the LE staging area, with the assumed collection of firearms and communications devices, why in the WORLD wouldn't they draw their security perimeter to include it?!?!

MOO
 
US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president in recent weeks, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.

There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.

The existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign intelligence agency — and the enhanced security for Trump — raises new questions about the security lapses at the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and how a 20-year-old man managed to access a nearby rooftop to fire shots that injured the former president.


It’s not clear whether the specifics of the Iran threat were shared with the Trump campaign, which said in a statement: “We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service.”

The Secret Service recently “added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Sunday.


They had to.

The Secret Service is legally required to protect major party presidential and vice presidential candidates and their families 120 days out from a general election, but third-party candidates are treated on an as-needed basis. Kennedy, who has paid millions for private security, said the cost limited his ability to campaign.

 

-One sniper inside spotted the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, outside and looking up at the roof, observing the building and disappearing, according to the officer who spoke to CBS News. The sniper observed Crooks as he returned to the building, sat down and looked at his phone. At that point, one of the local snipers took a picture of Crooks.

Next, the local sniper observed Crooks looking through a rangefinder, an instrument routinely used by marksmen to determine the distance of a target, and he immediately radioed to the command post, according to the local law enforcement officer. The local sniper also attempted to send the photo of the gunman up the chain of command.

The command post, according to multiple law enforcement officials, served as a central hub to streamline communications between U.S. Secret Service and the local officers from nearby state and county police forces. It is unclear if the command post received the alert.

Officials then lost track of Crooks, who disappeared, but soon returned for a third time with a backpack. The local sniper team called for backup — alerting the command post that the gunman had a backpack and was walking toward the back of the building.

By the time other local officers responded to the backup request, the gunman had scaled the building, positioning himself above and behind the local snipers inside the building, according to the officer.

Two other municipal police officers who heard the call for back-up attempted to climb onto the roof. Butler County Sheriff Michael Sloupe told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA that an armed municipal officer with Butler Township was hoisted by another officer onto the roof of the building where the gunman had taken a position. Crooks focused his rifle towards the officer who ultimately let go, falling off the roof. Moments later, the shooter began firing into the crowd.
This is so hard to read because they had him. They knew something was off and certainly when he was looking through a range finder, he as a sniper KNEW what that was for. Maybe the average person wouldn't know what it was or what it was for, but a sniper would know. At this point the secret service should have been alerted and Trump should not have been on the stage period until the guy was found. This all would have been prevented by keeping Trump off the stage until they apprehended him and at least questioned him.
 
How far in advance are political events such as this one typically scheduled and announced? Was just thinking if his goal was to injure many, various graduations ended in late May - end of June. Which makes me think this was more targeted, but at what point would he have known that event was scheduled in that location?
 
Jack Black did not say it. Kyle Gass did, and Jack Black canceled the tour because of it

Kyle Gass will be searching for a new talent agency soon
 
Wow, this makes the security breakdown all the more shocking:

CNN —
US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president in recent weeks, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.

There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.

The existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign intelligence agency — and the enhanced security for Trump — raises new questions about the security lapses at the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and how a 20-year-old man managed to access a nearby rooftop to fire shots that injured the former president.

It’s not clear whether the specifics of the Iran threat were shared with the Trump campaign, which said in a statement: “We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service.”

The Secret Service recently “added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Sunday.

Secret Service officials have warned the Trump campaign repeatedly against holding outdoor rallies, which pose greater risks than events to which the agency can better control access, people briefed on the matter said. The warnings have been more general in nature, the sources said.

At one point during this election cycle, the campaign stopped holding spontaneous off-the-record events where guests weren’t swept by Secret Service beforehand due to security concerns, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

The FBI, which is conducting the investigation into Saturday’s shooting, declined to comment.

 
How far in advance are political events such as this one typically scheduled and announced? Was just thinking if his goal was to injure many, various graduations ended in late May - end of June. Which makes me think this was more targeted, but at what point would he have known that event was scheduled in that location?
If trump was really an hour late, where was Crooks waiting in the meantime?
 
How far in advance are political events such as this one typically scheduled and announced? Was just thinking if his goal was to injure many, various graduations ended in late May - end of June. Which makes me think this was more targeted, but at what point would he have known that event was scheduled in that location?
That’s what I was trying to figure out. From what I could gather, there were events scheduled that were announced 2-3 weeks prior.

I haven’t been able to find the announcement for this one.

ETA: The rally was announced on July 3, which means he had 10 days to prepare.

This seals it for me, targeting Trump, at least on that particular day, was not part of his original plan.

That’s not long enough to plan to build bombs, acquire the materials, and then actually build them.

He was either planning to target trump elsewhere, or more likely, planning some sort of mass casualty attack before he pivoted when opportunity struck.
 
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How far in advance are political events such as this one typically scheduled and announced? Was just thinking if his goal was to injure many, various graduations ended in late May - end of June. Which makes me think this was more targeted, but at what point would he have known that event was scheduled in that location?
The fact he didn't take the opportunity to shoot at the crowd tells me it wasn't his goal. I think those who were shot were just in the way between him and Trump. If he wanted to kill many he could have just sprayed the crowd and accomplished that.

It was posted either on this thread or the first one that these rallies are usually scheduled a couple weeks out. So not months in advance, but not spur of the moment either.
 
Wow, this makes the security breakdown all the more shocking:

CNN —
US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president in recent weeks, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.

There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president on Saturday, was connected to the plot, the sources said.

The existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign intelligence agency — and the enhanced security for Trump — raises new questions about the security lapses at the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and how a 20-year-old man managed to access a nearby rooftop to fire shots that injured the former president.

It’s not clear whether the specifics of the Iran threat were shared with the Trump campaign, which said in a statement: “We do not comment on President Trump’s security detail. All questions should be directed to The United States Secret Service.”

The Secret Service recently “added protective resources and capabilities to the former President’s security detail,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Sunday.

Secret Service officials have warned the Trump campaign repeatedly against holding outdoor rallies, which pose greater risks than events to which the agency can better control access, people briefed on the matter said. The warnings have been more general in nature, the sources said.

At one point during this election cycle, the campaign stopped holding spontaneous off-the-record events where guests weren’t swept by Secret Service beforehand due to security concerns, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

The FBI, which is conducting the investigation into Saturday’s shooting, declined to comment.

From above link:
"Secret Service officials have warned the Trump campaign repeatedly against holding outdoor rallies, which pose greater risks than events to which the agency can better control access, people briefed on the matter said. The warnings have been more general in nature, the sources said."
 
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