Newly surfaced text messages show Thomas Matthew Crooks was on authorities’ radar more than 90 minutes prior to opening fire during an assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump on July 13.
The text messages exchanged between members of the Beaver County Emergency Service Unit were obtained and shared by the New York Times on Sunday (July 29) and showed a timeline of the events prior to the shooting, which resulted in Trump’s ear being grazed, one attendee being killed and two others injured.
The messages also revealed that Crooks, 20, appeared to be aware of the law enforcement presence at the Trump rally while preparing his assassination attempt.
“Someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know,” a counter-sniper texted a colleague at around 4:26 p.m. on the day of the shooting.
“I’m just letting you know because you see me go out with my rifle and put it in my car so he knows you guys are up there sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit,” he wrote of the suspicious person later identified as Crooks.
The shooter was below counter-snipers stationed inside the AGR International building warehouse — where he eventually climbed onto the roof to fire his AR-15 — at around 5:10 p.m. A counter-sniper captured a photo of Crooks that was shared in the group chat at around 5:38 p.m.
An officer also wrote that they should notify Secret Service of the suspicious activity, specifically feeling alarmed about the range finder that Crooks had at the time.
“Kid learning around the building we are in. AGR I believe it is,” the text states. “I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him.”
“Call it in to command and have a uniform check it out,” an officer wrote in another message provided to the New York Times by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley.
The photos were shared with Secret Service through several steps at the command center and another message showed that authorities incorrectly guessed Crooks moved toward the back of the complex of AGR buildings “away from the event” at around 6:00 p.m., at which point he was just minutes away from opening fire.
Trump’s right ear was grazed during the shooting and he was seen yelling “fight” to his supporters while being evacuated from the rally by Secret Service members. 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 later upgraded to stable condition.
Trump officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18.
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