FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate shared new information regarding the events leading up to the shooting incident involving Thomas Matthew Crooks and former President Donald Trump.
According to Abbate, at approximately 6:11 p.m., a local police officer was lifted to the roof by another officer and spotted Crooks with a firearm. The officer immediately radioed in that the shooter was armed with 'a long gun.' Within the next 30 seconds, shots were fired.
Previous testimonies revealed that one officer was hoisted up by another officer, who then witnessed Crooks holding a rifle. Crooks then aimed his weapon at the officer, causing the officer to lose his grip on the roof and fall back to the ground.
Additionally, newly discovered video footage from a local business captured Crooks climbing onto the roof of the building where he carried out the shooting at around 6:06 p.m. By 6:08 p.m., local law enforcement had already spotted Crooks on the roof.
The sequence of events leading up to the shooting sheds light on the swift communication and response by law enforcement officers in identifying the armed individual and taking necessary action to prevent further harm.