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

[Inthedetails]

His father, Matthew Crooks, 53, told CNN he was trying to figure out 'what the hell is going on' but would 'wait until I talk to law enforcement' before speaking.

State voter records show Crooks was a registered Republican. According to US media, when he was aged 17 he donated $15 to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021 - Biden's Inauguration Day.

Trump gunman is 20-year-old registered Republican who donated to Biden

Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dead by a US Secret Service sniper after he opened fire on the former President during a rally in Pennsylvania.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Crooks was a registered Republican, the Associated Press reported. The election in November would have been the first time he had been old enough to vote in a presidential race.

But in 2021, Crooks, then 17, made a $15 donation to a political action committee that raises funds for left-leaning and Democratic politicians, the news agency reported, according to a Federal Election Commission filing

Trump rally shooting live: Trump shooter is 20-year-old Republican, says FBI

A 20-year-old registered Republican has been identified by the FBI as the gunman believed to have attempted to assassinate Donald Trump.

www.telegraph.co.uk

It's entirely possible that he is a Republican who doesn't like Trump. Just because you belong to one party doesn't mean you automatically approve of the leading candidates.

We don't know enough yet, imo. But, from what we do know, I don't think this 20yo was part of any powerful conspiracy. At this point, I am assuming he was a lone wolf, though possibly influenced by online communities, imo.

I also predict people will still believe conspiracy theories.

jmo

 

[IceIce9]

Watching GMA, they are saying he appears to have acted alone. But a senatorial candidate and first row witness, Dave McCormick, said he felt shots may have come from 2 directions.

Surely that will be able to be determined by the videos. Much more to work with than just the Zapruder film.

 

[Marantz4250b]

Watching GMA, they are saying he appears to have acted alone. But a senatorial candidate and first row witness, Dave McCormick, said he felt shots may have come from 2 directions.

Never take people's assessments on where bullets are coming from as being correct. The acoustics are such that you cannot tell. It sounds different to people in different positions.

 

[indicolite22]

If nothing else Trump is defiant imo it was to display a show of strength

Did he know that the shooter was dead by then? Also, he was likely still in a state of shock.

 

[JennieM]

Some supporters burst into tears, others were angry at the Secret Service

British journalist Tom Newton Dunn - who was at Saturday's rally - has just spoken to our colleagues on the BBC News Channel.

He describes supporters "in carnival mode" before the event started, adding that Trump was over an hour late but that they "didn't mind that at all".

Trump was "just getting into the meat on illegal immigration" when the shots were fired, he says.

Newton Dunn says a lot of people weren't aware what was happening - it was only as shouts to get down rang out that it started to sink in.

"Some people burst into tears [...] one lady next to me was crouching on the ground saying 'Oh Jesus, oh Jesus, oh Jesus, they got him'...

"Others reacted in anger [...] some blaming people for it, blaming the Democrats for it, blaming Biden, blaming CNN [...] and they were angry at the Secret Service."
Newton Dunn adds there was a digital billboard outside the event - within an hour of the shooting, it said: "Democrats attempted assassination, President Trump" and "Praying for President Trump".

Trump to make VP pick today as Republican convention begins

The former president says that he intends to announce his running mate on the first day of the Republican National Convention.

www.bbc.co.uk

Image of digital billboard at link…

 

[Marantz4250b]

Surely that will be able to be determined by the videos. Much more to work with than just the Zapruder film.

I think in the slowed down BBC film it shows the disturbance created by the bullet as it passes Trump's head.

 

[JennieM]

Did he know that the shooter was dead by then? Also, he was likely still in a state of shock.

There could have been more than one shooter.

 

[Marantz4250b]

"Some people burst into tears [...] one lady next to me was crouching on the ground saying 'Oh Jesus, oh Jesus, oh Jesus, they got him'...

"Others reacted in anger [...] some blaming people for it, blaming the Democrats for it, blaming Biden, blaming CNN [...] and they were angry at the Secret Service."
Newton Dunn adds there was a digital billboard outside the event - within an hour of the shooting, it said: "Democrats attempted assassination, President Trump" and "Praying for President Trump".

Trump to make VP pick today as Republican convention begins

The former president says that he intends to announce his running mate on the first day of the Republican National Convention.

www.bbc.co.uk

Image of digital billboard at link…

There are some very, very worrying people on the loose, quite frankly!

 

[indicolite22]

There could have been more than one shooter.

True. In that case it would not have been safe to get up yet. IMO he wasn't thinking too much in that moment. The secret service is probably instructed to get him away ASAP, protecting his body in the process.

 

[Inthedetails]

There could have been more than one shooter.

That's what is almost always wondered at first when there is a mass shooting, and it very rarely is actually true.

jmo

 

[JennieM]

That's what is almost always wondered at first when there is a mass shooting, and it very rarely is actually true.

jmo

If there was more than one and the SS were not keeping check, yesterday would have been a terrible, terrible day both for Trump and potentially the crowd.

 

[Marantz4250b]

That's what is almost always wondered at first when there is a mass shooting, and it very rarely is actually true.

jmo

And I'm sure that the SS radio messages were that the shooter was down very quickly after the shots. Which should have been the case given that the counter sniper behind Trump appeared to be literally watching the guy!

 

[indicolite22]

And I'm sure that the SS radio messages were that the shooter was down very quickly after the shots. Which should have been the case given that the counter sniper behind Trump appeared to be literally watching the guy!

Yes, it appears that he was shot dead by SS snipers only a couple of seconds after he opened fire.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined," Trump said in a Truth Social post

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-07-14/trump-says-he-looks-forward-to-speaking-from-wisconsin-this-week

 

[Seattle1]

Drove there, one would presume?

OK, I'd make one pathetic assassin -- given I'd never get past the logistics of how, when, or what time to arrive; which vehicle to drive, and where to park... Should I leave the gas tank 1/4, 1/2, or full... and what if it rains? I hate leaving my vehicle parked on the street when it rains! And If my folks are going to give my vehicle to my little sister, I'd rather blow it up! So maybe I should sell it first...but then I'd have to take public transit to the shooting... Nope. No shooting today... There's a bakery in the Strip District I want to try-- while I still own a car.

 

[Inthedetails]

If there was more than one and the SS were not keeping check, yesterday would have been a terrible, terrible day both for Trump and potentially the crowd.

Well, of course! But that isn't what happened.

jmo

 

[indicolite22]

Even if the wound was caused by flying glass shards he was still shot at !! I have very little interest in American politics although I'm aware their policies filter through a lot of the western world , I'm looking at this and thinking Biden is at the moment looking like a vulnerable, unwell man and while not looking at the conspiracy I'm a logical thinker but I wonder was it a staunch Democrat obviously mentally unstable looking to take out Joe's competition to give him a better chance of winning the presidency idk probably should lay off the netflix

At 20 years old you aren't staunch anything. His life was just beginning. (IMO)

 

[Yellowbelly]

Even if the wound was caused by flying glass shards he was still shot at !! I have very little interest in American politics although I'm aware their policies filter through a lot of the western world , I'm looking at this and thinking Biden is at the moment looking like a vulnerable, unwell man and while not looking at the conspiracy I'm a logical thinker but I wonder was it a staunch Democrat obviously mentally unstable looking to take out Joe's competition to give him a better chance of winning the presidency idk probably should lay off the netflix

As posted further back on this thread, and elsewhere, the shooter was a registered Republican.

It doesn't make much sense to me either, but thems the facts.

 

[Inthedetails]

OK, I'd make one pathetic assassin -- given I'd never get past the logistics of how, when, or what time to arrive; which vehicle to drive, and where to park... Should I leave the gas tank 1/4, 1/2, or full... and what if it rains? I hate leaving my vehicle parked on the street when it rains! And If my folks are going to give my vehicle to my little sister, I'd rather blow it up! So maybe I should sell it first...but then I'd have to take public transit to the shooting... Nope. No shooting today... There's a bakery in the Strip District I want to try-- while I still own a car.

I don't get how he got from his car to the roof with the gun and nobody noticed? Maybe he planted the gun nearby ahead of time, but I cringe thinking something like that wasn't noticed by security checks. The redhead witness said the shooter was carrying the gun as he scaled the building.

And how did he scale the building? Did he practice???

jmo

 

[JennieM]

now

Trump says he looks forward to speaking from Wisconsin this week
Donald Trump has published his second statement on the Truth Social social media platform since the Pennsylvania shooting on Saturday. In it, the former Republican president said he looks forward to speaking from Wisconsin where the Republican National Convention will be held this week.

“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined,” Trump wrote.

Trump rally shooting live: ex-president urges Americans to ‘stand united’ after assassination attempt

Spectator and suspect, named as Thomas Matthew Crooks, killed in shooting at Pennsylvania rally

www.theguardian.com