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

[Missing Susan]

Agreed, I've wondered that as well.
Given that the slope of the roof was so steep.

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/trump-biden-election-2024-rnc/card/secret-service-chief-trump-shooter-s-sloped-roof-left-unmanned-due-to-safety-concerns-cjjjLB4LfCZ8a1tFKlMM

In an interview with ABC News, Cheatle said : "That building in particular has a sloped roof at it's highest point. And so, you know, there's a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn't want to put somebody up on a sloped roof." She added , "The decision was made to secure the building from inside."
Red emphasis mine.

It's noticeable that she did not say whether it was the local LE or the secret service's decision ?
So, who made that call ?
Just asking.

Kimberly Cheatle blasted for 'BS excuse' that roof was 'too sloped'

Speaking to ABC News, Cheatle claimed agents were not positioned on top of the sloped building, deeming it too dangerous - despite images showing snipers set up on a sloped roof behind Trump.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A photo of the dangerously sloped roof that was unable to be secured by either local LE or the secret service
(warning, blurred but graphic) :





View attachment 518505

My friend has a relative who is a roofing contractor.
To place new tiles, or repair damaged roofing tiles on steep inclines, they'll put temporary small pieces of rectangular wood (roof brackets) on the roof for the workers to have something to brace themselves.
As well as wearing a safety harness.
As the tiles are nailed down, the brackets are removed.

This shouldn't have been an impossible task to place someone on this roof, and also on the roof of the buildings behind and to the right of former president Trump ?

Omo

I quoted you to reference the picture. That roof is a 1:12 pitch. If you walk across the roof 12 feet, you gain or drop one foot. It is probably less pitched than the ramps you walk up and down to get to your movie theater seats. Spectators could have set up lawnchairs up there to watch the rally from a nice vantage point.

The shallow pitch does make it very hard to see someone positioned at the ridgeline, depending on how high the building eaves are. The people on the ground right next to the building can't see the ridgeline. You have to be far away or at an elevation higher than the eave to see the ridgeline.

If the roof had a 12:12, it would have indeed been a dangerous slope to stand upon but it would have made someone positioned at the ridgeline visible to anyone close to the building.

The shallow 1:12 slope is why it was a security problem unless security was positioned higher than its ridgeline.

The pics of the LE snipers shows they are on a steeper roof, probably 1:3 or 1:4 pitch. Obviously they were not in danger from the roof pitch.

The Directors comment about the roof pitch alone show that she isn't up to her task. Not cool, not rad.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1813633732756005285

 

[Cool Cats]

I agree, any parent would worry, especially if he had your rifle with him.

Yes!

Totally not normal in any way to report a 20 year old missing at only 11:00pm. Cops would say to give it more time....

However, the gun completely changes all of that....everyone knows he shouldn't be out at 11:00pm with an assault rifle and not answering texts and phone calls.

2 Cents

 

[Eli9]

Thanks for the link !

A lot of "Hmmm's ".
It wasn't that long ago that this happened, exactly what are they unclear on ??????
Omo.

It's been three days since someone attempted to assassinate a former president and the drips of accurate/inaccurate information and media spin is out of control. I want a briefing. Even if they only say the minimum.

 

[formerlyme]

Yes!

Totally not normal in any way to report a 20 year old missing at only 11:00pm. Cops would say to give it more time....

However, the gun completely changes all of that....everyone knows he shouldn't be out at 11:00pm with an assault rifle and not answering texts and phone calls.

2 Cents

yes cops would say that, but parents would still be very worried in my opinion. I mean some parents would be calling hospitals to see if there was an accident, maybe the wording isn't right, maybe they didn't call to report him missing but to see if he was found?

 

[JennieM]

BREAKING NEWS

Trump shooter Thomas Crooks seen at rally an HOUR before shooting in shocking new video

Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks is seen lurking near the rally stage just an hour before he opened fire in chilling new video

Video at link

Trump shooter seen at rally an HOUR before shooting in new video

The footage shot by a member of the crowd appears to show the 20-year-old gunman walking near the building he climbed on 60 minutes later to open fire.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[MassGuy]

AND there had been an attempted assassination nearby, with reports of dead and injured victims and a dead shooter.

I’m trying to remember how quickly it was that the BBC came out with the interview of the ginger-haired young man who reported that he and others had drawn the attention of police officers to a young man “bear-crawling” across a nearby roof. Before 11 pm?

That interview was not long after. I’d say closer to 8 pm.

 

[Cool Cats]

It's been three days since someone attempted to assassinate a former president and the drips of accurate/inaccurate information and media spin is out of control. I want a briefing. Even if they only say the minimum.

Yes, an official briefing helps weed out misinformation.

However, they have to have some answers and they don't. This fiasco can't even give a straight answer on who was actually in that warehouse.

Sounds like that specific warehouse had no one in it because Secret Service says they had snipers within the "complex" and that local LE were in the shooter's warehouse.

Local LE denies being in that warehouse. Pretty bad protection.

2 Cents

 

[MassGuy]

BREAKING NEWS

Trump shooter Thomas Crooks seen at rally an HOUR before shooting in shocking new video

Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks is seen lurking near the rally stage just an hour before he opened fire in chilling new video

Video at link

Trump shooter seen at rally an HOUR before shooting in new video

The footage shot by a member of the crowd appears to show the 20-year-old gunman walking near the building he climbed on 60 minutes later to open fire.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Here’s the YouTube link:

 

[Sundog]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1813633732756005285

I think it's just a matter of time and that she will be forced to resign. Especially after she appears before the Congressional committee that is investigating the situation.

 

[shotgun09]

That interview was not long after. I’d say closer to 8 pm.

IIRC, It was still light out, during the interview.

 

[JennieM]

Three days after attempted assassination, Trump shooter remains an elusive enigma

Three days after attempted assassination, Trump shooter remains an elusive enigma

So far, there has been no public disclosure the shooter left any writings, suicide note, social media screed or any other indicator explaining his reasons for targeting Trump.

apnews.com

 

[formerlyme]

I don't know about Pennsylvania but here in AZ it did not seem to be big news at first, we were at a restaurant tv's were on, my friend got a text saying Trump had been shot, nothing flashed on the screen no break in programming, I didn't see anything on social media. Was not even sure if the text was true.... no one else in the restaurant seemed to be reacting. I keept looking for info and finally found something on my phone at abc.... but it could be possible that people weren't even aware?

 

[MoominMama222]

I think something happened that made him change his plans.

Something that made him want to end his life.

I still think it could have been unrequited love

What if the unrequited love was from the father? What if the father was really into Trump, a kind of macho dad and he didn't connect with his wimpy nerdy son? Maybe TMC got into guns to try to get his dad to approve of him more. But he couldn't get in rifle club--humiliating. Maybe with the election coming up and seeing his dad all in for Trump, the son felt side-lined and finally had enough. He goes to shoot the one who has dad's attention. Pure speculation of course--and just one theory.

 

[Cool Cats]

yes cops would say that, but parents would still be very worried in my opinion. I mean some parents would be calling hospitals to see if there was an accident, maybe the wording isn't right, maybe they didn't call to report him missing but to see if he was found?

I think that him not bringing back the assault rifle from the shooting range escalated the parents worry and caused them to report him missing that night....almost like they deep down were afraid he might do something.

2 Cents

 

[Diddian]

That interview was not long after. I’d say closer to 8 pm.

I can't imagine their horror if they saw that and began putting together: A + B might = C?.

 

[Sundog]

Three days after attempted assassination, Trump shooter remains an elusive enigma

Three days after attempted assassination, Trump shooter remains an elusive enigma

So far, there has been no public disclosure the shooter left any writings, suicide note, social media screed or any other indicator explaining his reasons for targeting Trump.

apnews.com

As the details of the shooter's movements get put together in a more cohesive narrative, it seems to me that TC likely did not go up to the Butler rally site before the day of the rally, but actually was walking around looking for the best spot to carry out the shooting, based on what he was seeing and experiencing at the site. But IMO, this doesn't mean that he hadn't been planning an assassination of President Trump for a long time. He could have been planning it for another rally that was held earlier in Pennsylvania, but he may not have been ready yet or for some reason he decided it wasn't the right time or the plan was thwarted for some reason. But the Butler rally was another opportunity. So he could just drive up there the same day as he was as ready as he would ever be and had the confidence to carry out an assassination attempt without even visiting the site in advance.
I think we will eventually have more of the pieces of the puzzle, that they will leak out slowly over the weeks ahead.

All JMO and thoughts with the information we have as of today.

 

[branmuffin]

You're right, but, as of right now we are discussing this hard to understand incident in a vacuum. I for one am surprised that there has not been a briefing from SS. Even if they put out some sort of statement.

There isn't a briefing because they are scrambling to provide the public with a cogent reason why they failed to protect a former president. They can waffle all they want but at the end of the day there was a major breakdown in communication between the SS and the local police departments.
This is a section from the FAQs on the SS website:

How does the Secret Service "protect" the president?​

In order to maintain a safe environment for the president and other protectees, the Secret Service calls upon other federal, state and local agencies to assist on a daily basis. The Secret Service Uniformed Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Park Police patrol the streets and parks nearby the White House. The Secret Service regularly consults with experts from other agencies in utilizing the most advanced security techniques. The military supports the Secret Service through the use of Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams and communications resources. When the president travels, an advance team of Secret Service agents works with the host city, state and local law enforcement, as well as public safety officials, to jointly implement the necessary security measures. (emphasis mine)

Clearly that wasn't done here. Or if it was it was hastily done without any real plan in place? Was this a pop up rally? How far in advance did the community know he was coming? How far in advance do the SS coordinate with local police forces and scope the place out?

My personal opinion is that the head of the SS should be fired. This is all on Cheatle. So does that mean there's little protocol on how security changes for an ex-president running for election? Is it just business as usual?

The reality is if security protocol only refers to a retired president, not a campaigning president every time DJT has had an outdoor rally he's been at risk. He dodged a bullet all those times, imo. I don't like the man, but it's not him they are protecting it's the position.

I don't want someone who can't swim to be a lifeguard and I also don't want to see an SS agent fearful in the job they are hired to do. There should be some pink slips getting issued, imo.

 

[Sundog]

What if the unrequited love was from the father? What if the father was really into Trump, a kind of macho dad and he didn't connect with his wimpy nerdy son? Maybe TMC got into guns to try to get his dad to approve of him more. But he couldn't get in rifle club--humiliating. Maybe with the election coming up and seeing his dad all in for Trump, the son felt side-lined andsho finally had enough. He goes to shoot the one who has dad's attention. Pure speculation of course--and just one theory.

If that was the case, then the father would have been in Butler at the rally. It was only about a 90 minute drive from their home. And even if for some reason he couldn't attend the rally, he would have been watching it on tv or online and known that his son was the assassin long before 11 p.m. when he called LE to report his son was missing.

 

[Diddian]

BREAKING NEWS

Trump shooter Thomas Crooks seen at rally an HOUR before shooting in shocking new video

Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks is seen lurking near the rally stage just an hour before he opened fire in chilling new video

Video at link

Trump shooter seen at rally an HOUR before shooting in new video

The footage shot by a member of the crowd appears to show the 20-year-old gunman walking near the building he climbed on 60 minutes later to open fire.

www.dailymail.co.uk

More information with every report. That Daily Mail report now introduces a photograph of a bicycle (described as the shooter's) at the scene with a backpack beside it, and another pack of some kind hanging from the handlebars.

I'm curious how far TMC's vehicle was parked from the scene and whether that IED was at any point inside that backpack located at the perimeter outside the rally.

Also curious who he was communicating with or what he was otherwise looking at as he reportedly repeatedly looked at his phone before climbing atop the building form which he began shooting.