A police officer from the local department discovered Thomas Crooks, the suspected potential assassin, positioned on the roof of a manufacturing facility about 130 yards away from the platform where Trump was delivering his speech.
A law enforcement official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the officer ascended a ladder to investigate after attendees alerted them to Crooks’ alarming presence on the rooftop. Upon confronting Crooks, the officer found himself facing the muzzle of an AR-style rifle.
Eyewitness accounts and video evidence substantiated these reports, indicating that rally goers detected the gunman at least a minute prior to the shooting. CBS News analysis suggested that individuals warned law enforcement about the armed man on the roof a minimum of two minutes before the initial gunshot. The video captured the tumultuous moments preceding the shooting and shows a law enforcement officer circling the building before the incident occurred.
According to reports, the United States Secret Service, tasked with ensuring the former president’s safety, depended on local law enforcement to secure the area where the shooter was ultimately located. A Secret Service representative informed CNN that the agency did not conduct a personal sweep of the building, instead assigning that duty to local police.
Multiple attendees alerted local police officers to Crooks’ unusual behavior near the security checkpoints as they arrived at the event, contributing to the timeline of occurrences. Officials disclosed to NBC News that local police initiated a foot pursuit of Crooks and notified the Secret Service about the suspicious person in the vicinity of the rally.
The reports prompted urgent inquiries about the synchronization and efficacy of security measures implemented at the event. The officer’s inability to neutralize the evident danger posed by Crooks, despite being cognizant of his armed presence, has come under scrutiny. Additionally, the dependence on local law enforcement to secure critical areas without direct supervision from the Secret Service has become a central point of criticism.