In a shocking turn of events, new details have emerged regarding the attempted assassination of former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, successfully killed one of Trump's supporters during the incident.
According to information obtained from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, local law enforcement officers and snipers were in position at the rally site well before the attack took place. The timeline released by the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit revealed that officers were in place by 10:15 a.m., with snipers positioned by 10:30 a.m.
Crooks was seen surveying the scene while law enforcement and snipers were already in position. The FBI disclosed that Crooks had visited the rally site at 11 a.m. and returned later in the afternoon, flying a drone near the area where Trump was scheduled to speak.
Local law enforcement officers spotted Crooks around 5:10 p.m., just 50 minutes before Trump was set to take the stage. A text message alert was sent out regarding Crooks' suspicious behavior, but tragically, by 6:12 p.m., a counter-sniper had taken him down after he opened fire on rally attendees.
The attack resulted in Trump sustaining a minor injury, being grazed by a bullet on his ear. Additionally, three rallygoers, including Corey Comperatore, lost their lives or were injured in the shooting. Comperatore, aged 50, heroically protected his family during the chaos.
David Dutch and James Copenhaver were also injured in the incident but have since been discharged from the hospital and returned home.
