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

[Chimera]

Trump shooting victim's post shows he was eager to hear him speak

Corey Comperatore, 50, had been eager to hear former President Donald Trump speak at a rally in Butler, Penn. on Saturday when he was shot and killed by a gunman.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It was at that rally Saturday night that Comperatore died a hero as he shielded his young daughter and wife from the gunfire as he was killed by 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks.

IMO, with better security, this innocent man's death might have been prevented.
Rest in peace, Corey !
My utmost condolences to his wife and daughter and all who loved him.

Prayers for the other two who were wounded.
It sounds like they were both critically injured.

Not entirely sorry the shooter is no more, but otoh, I wanted him to face justice -- and most likely a long existence behind bars !
Omo.

 

[thebedbug]

There are two buildings in the background. The one he shot from is the one in front of the other. See how the roof rises slightly (reducing the roof's slope) partway down its length?... The shooter was lying alongside that rise on the other side of the peak of the roof. That is likely why he was difficult to see by the agents on the barn behind the bleachers.

Like most things, I think it was a combination of a lot of factors.

Beyond the failure to have those buildings secured and maybe a breakdown in communication (I think we need to learn details/timings/etc.) re: a shooter being on them, I don't think the Secret Service near Trump did an entirely great job.

They were on him very quickly - as fast as humanly possible, really - so no complaints there... but I thought Trump remained on that stage (looking for his shoes or whatever) waaaay too long after the shooting started. Had this been a coordinated attack, think multiple attackers... maybe drones... I think the Secret Service would've looked even worse. I would think the #1 priority would be to get Trump into the car as fast as possible and that didn't seem to be the case.

 

[margarita25]

I was struck by how many people remained upright during the whole ordeal, instead of ducking, fleeing.

I think some were as/more concerned about Trump than themselves, and if needed, would have taken a bullet for him.

 

[MassGuy]

Photographer who took iconic photo of bullet near Trump's ear explains how he got the picture

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/politics/video/doug-mills-trump-rally-photo-src-digvid

 

[thebedbug]

I was struck by how many people remained upright during the whole ordeal, instead of ducking, fleeing.

I think some were as/more concerned about Trump than themselves, and if needed, would have taken a bullet for him.

i don't think it was so much the later. i didn't see any attendees rushing to block bullets for Trump.

i think a lot of confusion. that's what we've heard from some people there. they didn't even understand what was happening. others were probably in shock, but there were definitely some odd reactions. for example, the guy in the Willy Wonka hat had to have been high. he just didn't look right with him phone out. but, we do live in different times where people often react to dangerous events by trying to film them... as if their phones will somehow protect them.

cameraman never dies?

 

[margarita25]

I think he wanted the shoes to protect his feet. Who knows what laid ahead in the path to the vehicle, rocks, gravel, broken glass.

Sometimes I forget and walk across the road to visit a neighbor without my shoes. Everytime I step on a tiny rock is excruciating.
Moo

It reminded me of 9/11, how many people, who ended up perishing, went back for their personal items.

 

[MassGuy]

i don't think it was so much the later. i didn't see any attendees rushing to block bullets for Trump.

i think a lot of confusion. that's what we've heard from some people there. they didn't even understand what was happening. others were probably in shock, but there were definitely some odd reactions. for example, the guy in the Willy Wonka hat had to have been high. he just didn't look right with him phone out. but, we do live in different times where people often react to dangerous events by trying to film them... as if their phones will somehow protect them.

cameraman never dies?

Yeah. It’s not like this was a close range shooting where people would actually be able to see what happened. I’m sure most of them didn’t realize what was going on at the time.

 

[snooptroop88]

This person got off eight shots before they took him down. That is a terrifying thought.

Trump rally shooter identified as 20-year-old Pennsylvania man

The FBI identified the shooter, who is dead, as Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. A motive wasn't clear.

www.nbcnews.com

Am grateful and relieved the president's ok. There is nothing but grief for those who died, who were injured, and who were traumatized as a result of these actions.

How did it happen? When I see things like this, I always (oddly) think of Jonestown, where Jim Jones had his utopian compound. When some of Jones' followers appealed to a visiting congressman (Leo Ryan) to escape, the congressman arranged for their transport out of Guyana via small planes back to the US. Jones was enraged, and some of Jones' enforcers followed them out to the airstrip and gunned down many members of the party in cold blood-- including the congressman and journalists. Nobody thought it could happen, just like nobody thought something like 9/11 could happen. And that's how I believe such things do end up happening. Is that how this ended up happening? It may have had a role because Trump does many, many functions. Hecklers, yes. But something like this? It makes your mouth hang open in shock.

Why did this person do it? We don't know and I'm sure because of the magnitude of the circumstances, we'll be slow to find out. I don't really know how someone expected to even attempt what this person did and escape alive, but I'm reading he did. Why, why'd this person do this? We're all talking about it, I'm shocked by it, that shock factor was undoubtedly part of the draw for this person, but what was he trying to produce the shock for? There is very little known about him. So we have this obscure individual who felt the need to murder, to traumatize, to end up on the front page of every newspaper in the US. Why? Maybe his obscurity will end up as part of the answer, but I don't think we'll have any answer for quite a long time.

 

[vls12345]

This person got off eight shots before they took him down. That is a terrifying thought.

Trump rally shooter identified as 20-year-old Pennsylvania man

The FBI identified the shooter, who is dead, as Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. A motive wasn't clear.

www.nbcnews.com

Am grateful and relieved the president's ok. There is nothing but grief for those who died, who were injured, and who were traumatized as a result of these actions.

How did it happen? When I see things like this, I always (oddly) think of Jonestown, where Jim Jones had his utopian compound. When some of Jones' followers appealed to a visiting congressman (Leo Ryan) to escape, the congressman arranged for their transport out of Guyana via small planes back to the US. Jones was enraged, and some of Jones' enforcers followed them out to the airstrip and gunned down many members of the party in cold blood-- including the congressman and journalists. Nobody thought it could happen, just like nobody thought something like 9/11 could happen. And that's how I believe such things do end up happening. Is that how this ended up happening? It may have had a role because Trump does many, many functions. Hecklers, yes. But something like this? It makes your mouth hang open in shock.

Why did this person do it? We don't know and I'm sure because of the magnitude of the circumstances, we'll be slow to find out. I don't really know how someone expected to even attempt what this person did and escape alive, but I'm reading he did. Why, why'd this person do this? We're all talking about it, I'm shocked by it, that shock factor was undoubtedly part of the draw for this person, but what was he trying to produce the shock for? There is very little known about him. So we have this obscure individual who felt the need to murder, to traumatize, to end up on the front page of every newspaper in the US. Why? Maybe his obscurity will end up as part of the answer, but I don't think we'll have any answer for quite a long time.

Eight shots?!?

 

[Knox]

Yeah. It’s not like this was a close range shooting where people would actually be able to see what happened. I’m sure most of them didn’t realize what was going on at the time.

That's the truth, many of them in the bleachers directly behind trump were still standing. People who were interviewed said they initally thought it was firecrackers going off. I don't think your mind immediately goes to "it's a shooter".

 

[vls12345]

That's the truth, many of them in the bleachers directly behind trump were still standing. People who were interviewed said they initally thought it was firecrackers going off. I don't think your mind immediately goes to "it's a shooter".

Yeah, I think some people hadn't processed the true danger.

Plus, there, they probably felt there was a sense of security exactly because of the Secret Service and other LE, as well as strict rules about what was allowed inside the rally area, checks to enter, etc. I think that also may have made people slower to react. Imo.

 

[margarita25]

That's the truth, many of them in the bleachers directly behind trump were still standing. People who were interviewed said they initally thought it was firecrackers going off. I don't think your mind immediately goes to "it's a shooter".

I had perhaps mistakenly thought many remained standing and stationary after it was known people got shot, I guess I need to watch the videos again. Haven’t really gotten into the video analysis yet. Pretty shaken up by the whole thing.

Whatever the case, one of my first thoughts was these people are brave, sticking around…

 

[TootsieFootsie]

My first thought on seeing photos of him, once it was made clear it was actually him, was that to me he looked like he had some kind of disability.
Not like downs syndrome but something that rings a bell when I look at him.

 

[Knox]

I had perhaps mistakenly thought many remained standing and stationary after it was known people got shot, I guess I need to watch the videos again. Haven’t really gotten into the video analysis yet. Pretty shaken up by the whole thing.

Whatever the case, one of my first thoughts was these people are brave, sticking around…

I would have turned into a pancake once I saw Trump go down.

 

[Lucy6226]

I think the fact that people didn't panic probably saved lives. If people has started running there no doubt would have been more injuries and possibly crushings. I suspect all the security led them to think it was anything but a shooter

 

[Chimera]

Even if the perp accessed the roof fully outside of the rally perimeters, i.e., the area people had to pass through metal detectors --- then that was too small !
Roughly 150 yards was the distance from the perp to Trump, or 450 feet; and the perimeter was less than that, as it didn't include the buildings to the side ?

Since a bullet can travel much farther than that, why not secure as large a distance as a perp could reasonably shoot someone ?
They needed someone on that roof and prob. the building & roof behind that one as well.
This could have been even worse if there'd been more than the single perp.

I'm questioning if the secret service decided the area outside of the staging and crowd areas didn't need beefed-up security; and they thought the other buildings didn't pose a threat ?
And if so, why ?

My opinion and am saying this a layperson without experience in security --I would have made sure any rooftops had secret service in place as a precaution.
Too close and too tempting for a deranged shooter.
Omo.

 

[LadyL]

Warning, Graphic

I hadn’t seen this video/angle yet, still watching, not sure if already posted

utter chaos that poor woman at the end too ... I hope she was ok

 

[Knox]

My first thought on seeing photos of him, once it was made clear it was actually him, was that to me he looked like he had some kind of disability.
Not like downs syndrome but something that rings a bell when I look at him.

I'm not seeing a disability, but his face sort of reminds me of Zach Roloff without the glasses (no offense to Zach who is an awesome husband & Dad).

 

[margarita25]

Any updates on other two victims that were in critical condition yesterday? I know I can Google…

 

[MassGuy]

Any updates on other two victims that were in critical condition yesterday? I know I can Google…

The deceased victim was identified as Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver, Pa.

The second victim, who was wounded in the shooting, has been identified as 57-year-old David Dutch, of New Kensington, Pa. He is currently listed in stable condition. The third victim, who is also listed in stable condition, was identified as James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pa., according to a media release from state police.

Pennsylvania State Police identify 3 victims shot at Trump rally

Both patients who were hospitalized are now in stable condition, per state police.

www.cbsnews.com