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

[MassGuy]

they were not moving at the speed of light- they had to get the bomb squad and once they are dealing with bombs, the searches become more regimented so that they do not blow anything up

They are fully capable of dealing with a crime scene and a secondary crime scene at the same time.

Teams moving slowly at the attack site does not mean agents can’t also be at the house at the same time.

I’m simply surprised it took several hours to arrive there based on the preliminary identification.

 

[Friday Fan]

It doesn’t make sense. The math says that around 7pm he was identified. The next step would be going to the house and speaking with the occupants.

They had the father's name.

But who was the dead guy?

Firearms are sometimes stolen too.

They also could have run tags on the vehicle, but they would have had to wait until the crowds left.

They can send an agent out to the father's neighborhood, but would it be a good idea to knock on the door cold? I'm sure they were surveilling the house as soon as they had a name.

 

[Cool Cats]

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.

I think he was watching the rally on his phone.

 

[MassGuy]

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.

I think the bicycle is completely unrelated. John Miller at CNN reported the vehicle/home contents, and never mentioned anything about a bike.

They also continue to report that the wrong sniper team took the shots (those two guys on the roof above the stage were not the shooters).

 

[Deleted member 39678]

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

I wonder where the rifle was at this point in time. Still in his car? Or hidden somewhere for later retrieval.

 

[MassGuy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1813649686609494157

 

[formerlyme]

They had the father's name.

But who was the dead guy?

Firearms are sometimes stolen too.

They also could have run tags on the vehicle, but they would have had to wait until the crowds left.

They can send an agent out to the father's neighborhood, but would it be a good idea to knock on the door cold? I'm sure they were surveilling the house as soon as they had a name.

good points and the vehicle was found down the road at a gas station....

 

[Deleted member 39678]

They are fully capable of dealing with a crime scene and a secondary crime scene at the same time.

Teams moving slowly at the attack site does not mean agents can’t also be at the house at the same time.

I’m simply surprised it took several hours to arrive there based on the preliminary identification.

I'm also surprised by any delay in securing the shooters home.

You would think that they would expedite that process to insure no evidence was destroyed or removed from the home. JMO.

 

[Sundog]

I think he was watching the rally on his phone.

Possibly. He would want to have an idea of when President Trump would be arriving and when he would be on stage and at the podium. Trump was running late, about an hour, IIRC.

 

[Chimera]

I was thinking supposed lack of friends and this may not be his normal behavior. It was 10 hours, probably no answer on phone it was getting late at night, I think any parent would worry.

Emphasis mine.
If it was unusual for TC to not go off with friends or not to check in, then yes, that's true.
Somehow I assumed that the police had contacted the parents before 10 hours had elapsed, but am unsure when they showed up at TC's parent's home ?

Trump rally shooter identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20-year-old Pennsylvania man. Here's what we know so far.

Former President Trump was injured in a shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI has identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.

www.cbsnews.com

Fellow classmate Summer Barkley told CBS Pittsburgh reporter Megan Schiller that although Crooks wasn't popular, he still had a group of friends and was a good student beloved by teachers.
She said she didn't see any red flags that would lead her to believe he would do something like this.

Mark Sigafoos, who graduated with Crooks and sat near him in class, told CBS News that while it was possible Crooks was bullied in school, he never personally saw it happen.

Possibly... nothing stood out regarding TC ?
If he had few friends or was bullied (obv. not o.k. to treat anyone like that !) ; it happens to many people and is not an excuse to go on a rampage.
The assertions by his fellow classmates that he was generally accepted -- chills me, as then anyone is capable of murdering an innocent person !
Not much chance of predicting the next nut case to go on a rampage .

Horrible to think he was working at a nursing home, amongst the most helpless -- akin to working with infants.
Omo.

 

[Chimera]

I think he was watching the rally on his phone.

Agreed, certainly possible.
Wonder if they'll make public what they find on TC's phone ?
My .02.

 

[Friday Fan]

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

Did he change his shirt? Or is this quality poor?

 

[Eli9]

It looks like the Trump campaign may have wanted to have the rally at the County airport but there was a scheduling conflict with the venue. I'm sure they probably scout several venues but this was new to me.

County airport authority denied Trump campaign request because of conflicting event

The campaign for Donald Trump may have wanted to return to the site of the former president’s Butler County rally, the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, but there was an event scheduled at the venue...

www.butlereagle.com

 

[Chimera]

good points and the vehicle was found down the road at a gas station....

Also good point re. the vehicle left at the gas station.

Sooo... TC WALKED to the rally, with rifle in hand ?
And no one stopped him or at least asked why he had a gun ?

Even if he concealed it prior to the rally -- they didn't find it during the security sweep ?
He'd have to have placed the weapon fairly close so he could grab it w/o being noticed.
None of these actions should have gone unnoticed.
I say 'should have'.
I'm assuming there was a security check beforehand, but tbh I question that, now.
Omo.

 

[Chimera]

It looks like the Trump campaign may have wanted to have the rally at the County airport but there was a scheduling conflict with the venue. I'm sure they probably scout several venues but this was new to me.

County airport authority denied Trump campaign request because of conflicting event

The campaign for Donald Trump may have wanted to return to the site of the former president’s Butler County rally, the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, but there was an event scheduled at the venue...

www.butlereagle.com

Curious -- who was at the other event ?

 

[Sundog]

It looks like the Trump campaign may have wanted to have the rally at the County airport but there was a scheduling conflict with the venue. I'm sure they probably scout several venues but this was new to me.

County airport authority denied Trump campaign request because of conflicting event

The campaign for Donald Trump may have wanted to return to the site of the former president’s Butler County rally, the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, but there was an event scheduled at the venue...

www.butlereagle.com

Interesting. President Trump usually holds his rallies at a local airport as this makes it much easier for him to fly in and get in and out, also for the other politicians that join his rallies and the campaign team, family members, etc.

 

[Sundog]

Curious -- who was at the other event ?

The campaign for Donald Trump may have wanted to return to the site of the former president’s 2020 Butler County rally, the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, but there was an event scheduled at the venue prior to the request.
https://vdo.ai/contact?utm_medium=video&utm_term=butlereagle.com&utm_source=vdoai_logo
Mike Walsh, chairman of the Butler County Airport Authority in Penn Township, said the campaign contacted the authority “about a month-and-a-half ago,” with a range of dates organizers were looking to plan a rally for Trump in the county.

Walsh said that although Trump’s last Butler County rally, which took place Oct. 31 at the airport, was well-organized, the airport already had an event scheduled for July 13, the Penn Township Volunteer Fire Company’s annual Mega Cruise.

 

[Cool Cats]

Agreed, certainly possible.
Wonder if they'll make public what they find on TC's phone ?
My .02.

Yes if it shows a motive....2 Cents

 

[formerlyme]

Also good point re. the vehicle left at the gas station.

Sooo... TC WALKED to the rally, with rifle in hand ?
And no one stopped him or at least asked why he had a gun ?

Even if he concealed it prior to the rally -- they didn't find it during the security sweep ?
He'd have to have placed the weapon fairly close so he could grab it w/o being noticed.
None of these actions should have gone unnoticed.
I say 'should have'.
I'm assuming there was a security check beforehand, but tbh I question that, now.
Omo.

I thought he was seen near rally with a backpack? gun in backpack? And I think there was confusion of him being near the metal detectors but not actually screened?

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Bbm.

ITA.
ANY former U.S. president needs to have protection close to that of a current potus.
Protocols and laws already set in place may vary, so this is my opinion.
Imo.
Omo.

Yes, there's just so many people/organizations/countries that could hold a grudge and it can be somewhat random why exactly they're targeted. I look at the assassination of former Japanese PM Abe who was targeted merely as a backup target with someone who had a grievance against the Unification Church, which Abe was chosen as a backup since he was seen as the largest celebrity of that church...there's just an infinite number of reasons a former head of state can be targeted.

I think the Secret Service policy as it sounds so far is bad as it doesn't seem to take into account the resources and training of the local LE, like it's one thing putting the LAPD or NYPD out there to try and stop international actors, but it's a whole other thing when you're dealing with a small and relatively resource poor police organization, like the Butler Township Police who the Secret Service head seems to be blaming just seems ill-equipped for protecting heads of state in the immediate vicinity:
"The Butler Township Police Department is managed by Chief John Hays and consists of a lieutenant, four patrol sergeants, three detectives, twelve full time patrol officers, one part time dog law enforcement officer, and two full time clerical support staff."

Police Department - Butler Township

The Butler Township Police Department is managed by Chief John Hays and consists of a lieutenant, four patrol sergeants, two detectives, thirteen full time patrol officers, two part time dog law enforcement officers, and two full time clerical support staff.

butlertwp.org

The Secret Service at a minimum should have had a perimeter 200 yards in circumference they were responsible for and even then 200 yards doesn't sound like much given how many in regular non-special forces militaries are trained to hit targets further than that. A former head of state should receive enough protection from the Secret Service that they're safe from a disgruntled current or former grunt from plinking them at game hunting range...and not blame the Mayberry PD for inadequate protection.