Text messages uncovered by Congress show that police snipers observed Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who later attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, at the location of the rally nearly two hours before the incident took place. The messages, shared by a counter-sniper from the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office, revealed that Crooks was acting suspiciously near the rally site at 4:26 p.m., 1 hour and 45 minutes before shots were fired at 6:11 p.m.
The officers on duty noticed Crooks using a rangefinder to examine the rally site and shared pictures of him walking around the AGR Building, from where he eventually shot at former President Trump. Despite notifying their command center about Crooks, it remains unclear if further action was taken in response to the information provided by the counter-snipers.
Crooks managed to climb atop the AGR Building, approximately 400 feet from Trump’s podium, before firing shots at the former president. He was swiftly neutralized by a Secret Service counter-sniper, but questions remain about the communication and response protocols followed during the incident.
The timeline of events, as detailed by the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office, suggests that local law enforcement were aware of Crooks’ presence well before the assassination attempt occurred. The lack of coordination between local and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as the Secret Service’s failure to detect Crooks on the building’s roof, have raised concerns about security protocols and communication protocols.
The aftermath of the incident led to the resignation of the Secret Service director amid bipartisan criticism of her leadership. The agency’s handling of the situation, particularly in regards to monitoring potential threats like Crooks, has come under scrutiny. Further investigations and reviews are expected to shed light on the events leading up to the attempt on former President Trump’s life. Please rewrite this sentence.
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