I haven't posted on this thread, for various reasons, primarily because I avoid any threads that have even a whiff of being potentially political, because I abhor what politics in the US has become today. However, I have been watching and reading avidly since Butler, PA is my hometown. Although I live in Pittsburgh now, I was on my way there that evening for something else that night, in the city/downtown. As I was about halfway there, my phone started just blowing up with texts from friends and family in the area. Like many of you, I am appalled and flabbergasted at what transpired that day, the failures, and the multiple opportunities that there were to have nipped this in the bud before this became a tragedy.
After reading articles from multiple places and the really good analysis and questions posed here by our ever-savvy sleuthers, I am in the camp that the failures and circumstances of the event lie squarely on the shoulders of the SS, who was responsible for 2 key elements that could have made a difference (all IMHO):
1. Designating the Perimeter - To me, this was the first and biggest failure of security that occurred, given the range of the weapon used and rifles available to pretty much every citizen in the US today. How could buildings within shooting range of the stage where Trump was going to be NOT considered in the inner perimeter, especially since there was clearly an ability to get up on to a rooftop using an AC unit? I can see if the only way to get up on the roof (if say, the building was 10 stories) was through the building, that securing any entrances would be enough, but that clearly wasn't the case. While it's true that Butler County is Trump Country and he is beloved there, no place is immune from a disgruntled lone gunman.
2. Communications/Chain of Command Confusion - Although less is known about what exactly the chain of command and ability of local police to reach and be heard by the SS teams, it seems to me that the delays from when the shooter was spotted at every point were either not taken seriously or not communicated to those who could do something about it until it was too late. Arrrgh! There were SO many opportunities to have stopped the shooter. For once, this might have been the time to act in the "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later" mode, that LE is criticized (sometimes rightfully) for in circumstances where it isn't even warranted. Heck, how about we just ask Thomas Crook some questions in a friendly manner, "Hey son, what are you doing? What's in the bag? Why do you have that range finder? Can we see some ID?" [This one I am going to criticize local LE for - let's, you know, err on the side of caution here people!] I think that had that happened, it might have been enough to spook Crooks, and we would all be reading about a man being questioned and let go or perhaps found with a gun instead of what transpired.
On that point of Communications....were the SS dismissive of any warnings from local LE, thinking "What do these small-time cops know about anything?" ... or was there some chain of communications that bounced from person to person to person that required escalation that ultimately delayed everything?
I admit that of course I could be biased in favor of the LE in my little hometown, but I do hope that some answers will be forthcoming in the upcoming hearings and there is accountability for the failures that occurred.
And just because, I'll share some good tidbits about Butler, PA. It was an amazing, safe, and wonderful place to grow up, full of great people - and also, the birthplace of the Jeep:
Butler | Butler County Tourism & Convention
