Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter identified in the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, was spotted by police at least twice within 30 minutes prior to opening fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday (July 13), sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to WPXI.
The Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, which was working the Trump rally outside its jurisdiction, reportedly noticed Crooks, 20, on the roof and captured a photo of him at around 5:45 p.m. local time. The suspect managed to avoid having his cover blown while standing on a rooftop perch of the AGR International Inc. factory building where local police snipers were stationed inside, law enforcement sources told the New York Post.
One spectator, identified as Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed during the incident while two others, David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, were initially critically wounded but have since been upgraded to stable condition. Police identified Crooks as the shooter late Saturday night.
Secret Service snipers immediately took out Crooks, who was found with an AR-style semi-automatic assault rifle and wearing a shirt for the popular gun YouTube channel Demolition Ranch, after he opened fire. Crooks is reported to have donated $15 to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on the day of President Joe Biden‘s inauguration in January 2021, but later registered to vote as a Republican upon turning 18 in September 2021, according to records obtained and shared by the Intercept.
Trump is scheduled to officially accept the Republican presidential nomination during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week.
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