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Fifth Column
Trump assassination, Day 3: Cop confronted Trump shooter but RETREATED when gunman pointed rifle at him
2024-07-15
Selections from the Daily Mail Liveblog:
Donald Trump has vowed to attend the Republican Convention on Monday in Milwaukee, one day after he was nearly assassinated by a 20-year-old in Pennsylvania - while new details begin to emerge about the abhorrent security failures that took place.

According to sources, a police officer backed away when the would-be assassin pointed a rifle at him, just moments before he then fired in Trump's direction, clipping his ear.

Trump announced he will not be delaying his Wisconsin trip - less than 24 hours after he was shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks from a rooftop 130 yards away.

15:48 Local police officer came face-to-face with would-be assassin but backed away, sources say
Not long before shots rang out, rally-goers noticed a man climbing to the top of a roof of a nearby building and warned local law enforcement, according to two law enforcement officials.

One officer climbed to the roof and encountered Crooks, who pointed his rifle at the officer. The officer retreated down the ladder and Crooks quickly took a shot toward former President Donald Trump, just 130 yards away. That’s when the U.S. Secret Service counter snipers shot him, said the officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

According to Butler County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe, the officer was 'gripping the roof's edge' when confronted by Crooks' rifle. Because of his position, he did not have a gun with him and had to drop back to the ground.

'He lets go because he doesn’t want to get killed,' Slupe told the Washington Post.

'The guy is a f***ing cop, come on man!'

Many damning and terrifying questions remain unanswered after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump that is being described as an enormous security failure.

The FBI has launched a probe into what happened in the moments leading to the assassination attempt and President Biden declared he is also directing an 'independent review' of national security.

There are also allegations that Trump's team asked for more protection on the campaign but was rebuffed. The Secret Service has since denied those claims, but the agency is still under immense scrutiny for what has been called an 'absolute failure.'

And Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., became the first lawmaker to say that the director of Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle 'needs to go.'

21:32 Donald Trump says he has completely rewritten convention speech after shooting as aides plan toned down Milwaukee event amid calls for unity

20:41 President Joe Biden's six-minute Oval Office address contained several gaffes

20:34 President Joe Biden asks country to 'cool it down' in Oval Office address

18:43 Gunman was rejected from high school rifle team for being a 'terrible shot'
Would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was rejected from his high school rifle team because he was a 'terrible shot,' it has emerged. Jameson Myers, who attended school with Crooks, told ABC News:

He didn't just not make the team, he was asked not to come back because of how bad of a shot he was, it was considered like, dangerous.

Another former member of the rifle team said Crooks 'wasn't really fit for the rifle team; and 'he also shot terrible.'

17:19 Secret Service says NO change in GOP Convention security plans after gunman tried to shoot Trump
U.S. Secret Service says it does not plan to make any changes to 'operational security plans' for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week. Despite the assassination attempt on Saturday against former President Donald Trump, the USSS insists it is 'confident' in the current plan.

Regarding the request from Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) to prohibit firearms in the 'soft perimeter' of the Convention, Chief of Milwaukee Police Jeffrey Norman said they cannot superceded state open and conceal carry laws. Norman said at a briefing in Milwaukee on Sunday:

Our state law allows for the particular right to carry a firearm. We as a city cannot legislate out of that… In regards to our law enforcement aspect, we have to operate within those guidelines, unless it's something that is against state law. We have to respect Second Amendment right carry your firearm, especially in regards to open carry or carry and conceal if you're licensed.

16:36 Pennsylvania police identify the two victims injured in the Trump assassination attempt
The identities of the two rally goers critically injured in the assassination attempt against Donald Trump are now revealed. Pennsylvania State Police identified David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township as the two individuals shot when a gunman tried to take out the former president at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Both were injured and taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Dutch and Copenhaver are in 'stable' condition, according to the police statement.

16:05 FBI investigating Trump shooting as 'potential domestic terrorism'
The FBI said that the attempt to shoot Donald Trump was being investigated as a potential act of domestic terrorism. They added that the shooter acted alone and had no known ideology.

'We are investigating this as an assassination attempt, but also looking at it as a potential domestic terrorism act,' said Robert Wells, assistant director of the FBI counterterrorism division.

15:26 Senate Democrats' campaign arm pauses ads and fundraising
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has paused advertisements and digital fundraising for the time being, a DSCC aide confirmed to DailyMail.com. It comes amid a bipartisan movement to 'turn down the temperature' with political rhetoric after the shooting.

15:17 Trump's campaign and NRCC halt digital fundraising in aftermath of rally shooting
Donald Trump's 2024 campaign and has stalled its digital fundraising in the wake of the assassination attempt against the former president, according to a person familiar with the matter that spoke with CNBC.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) also paused its digital ad push.

It's unclear when the digital fundraising will start up again.

The news comes after President Joe Biden's reelection campaign temporarily paused its efforts after the horrific shooting that left two dead – the gunman and a rally goer – and two others in critical condition.

15:11 Gov. DeSantis questions FBI ability to remain free from political influence when investigating assassination attempt

13:26 GoFundMe appeal rockets past $1.5M
A GoFundMe page set up by a Trump staffer to help the families of those killed or wounded in the shooting has raised more than $1.5 million in little more than 15 hours. It was set up Meredith O'Rourke, the campaign's national finance director, and endorsed by Trump himself.

Among the top donors are musician Kid Rock and UFC CEO Dana White, who both contributed $50,000 to the cause. Former 2024 Republican hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy sent $30,000 to help and conservative personality Ben Shapiro donated $15,000.

12:08 Classmate describes Trump gunman as a 'loner'
The first classmate of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks spoke with local reporters. He described Crooks, who went to Bethel Park High School as a loner who was bullied relentlessly. He also said he wore 'hunting' outfits often in class.

10:52 'Explosive devices' found in Trump gunman's car
Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks had explosive devices in the car he drove to the Pennsylvania rally and used a gun purchased by his father. Authorities found the devices in his vehicle after he was shot and killed by Secret Service agents, moments after he opened fire on the former president, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The 20-year-old used an AR-style firearm that was legally purchased by his father to carry out the attempted assassination against the former president.

Neighbors who spoke to DailyMail.com said Crooks' family is quiet and keeps to themselves.

The vehicle driven by Crooks on Saturday was parked near the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania and police say they received multiple reports of suspicious packages. This prompted police to dispatch bomb technicians.

Crooks' home was searched and authorities spoke with his family.



Related courtesy of Skidmark:


FBI says it is investigating Trump shooting as 'potential domestic terrorism'. Honest.
[TIMESOFISRAEL] The FBI says that the attempt to shoot Donald Trump is being investigated as a potential act of domestic terrorism, adding that the shooter acted alone and had no known ideology.

“We are investigating this as an assassination attempt, but also looking at it as a potential domestic terrorism act,” Robert Wells, assistant director of the FBI counterterrorism division, tells reporters.

The gun used in the attempted assassination was an “AR-style 556 rifle” that was purchased legally, FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek tells reporters.

Authorities believe the semi-automatic weapon was bought by the shooter’s father, but do not yet know how he accessed the weapon or whether he took it without his father’s knowledge, the FBI says.

The FBI says it has not yet identified any ideology ascribed to the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot dead by Secret Service agents yesterday.

Trump pledges to fight 'evil'
[RT] Donald Trump
...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party...
 has vowed not to swerve from his course and to take on "evil," following Saturday’s liquidation attempt on his life during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former president also called on Americans to show unity in the face of political violence.

Several shots were fired during Trump’s speech, with one bullet grazing the politician’s right ear. The GOP hopeful was eventually whisked offstage by Secret Service agents and moved to a "safe" place. One of the event’s attendees was fatally shot, with another two sustaining serious injuries. Authorities later reported that the 20-year-old suspected shooter, who is believed to have taken up position on a nearby rooftop, was shot and killed.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump thanked "everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday," adding that "it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening."

"We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness," the former president insisted.

The Republican presidential hopeful also argued that "it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win."

Trump also extended condolences to the family of the person in the crowd at the event who was "horribly killed" by the shots , and wished the maimed individuals a speedy recovery.

"I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin," the former president concluded.

He didn't miss. Trump turned his head.
He might have done better had he not been distracted by the policeman climbing up the ladder to the roof. Separately, where is the evidence that this man was a member of Antifa? Mark Violets, earlier mistakenly identified as the killer, was definitely Antifa, but this one seems oddly passive for Black Bloc type..


Posted by:Skidmark

#27  Trump looked emotional and subdued at the convention tonight. I really believe he was thinking of the man who was killed at the rally Saturday.
Posted by: Whavick Scourge of the Apes9857   2024-07-15 23:24  

#26  
Posted by: badanov   2024-07-15 22:23  

#25  
Posted by: badanov   2024-07-15 20:59  

#24  (training as a cook does not count!)

Guess you haven't eaten at Waffle House, 2am.
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-07-15 18:12  

#23  a 20 year old without formal training

I am assuming (yeah, I know) that if he did a stint in the infantry or worked in law enforcement, that we would have heard about it by now. (training as a cook does not count!)
Posted by: SteveS   2024-07-15 16:27  

#22  
a 20 year old without formal training

It's very hard to prove a negative like this statement. Unless a lucky fact pops up, we may never know.
One thing we could possibly learn is how much range time Crooks got at the sports club he belonged to.
Posted by: Gromble+Dribble4342   2024-07-15 16:06  

#21  
The rooftop where a gunman shot at former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally was identified by the U.S. Secret Service as a potential vulnerability

Anyone with a basic outline of the venue could have used Google Earth to identify this vulnerability. From looking at the media, many did that very shortly after the incident, the diagrams/photos match what Google Earth produces.
Posted by: Gromble+Dribble4342   2024-07-15 15:34  

#20   There is no excuse for the lack of a police lookout on top of this roof, also the lack of a lookout on top of the nearby water tower which overlooks the shooter's location. It will be interesting to later read how these omissions are dealt with.

No news about where this "ladder" was. Photos of the area omit this AFAICT. It's location is vital. A vast number of roofs like this one already have ladders installed to make maintenance possible.

Some accounts of the minutes leading up to the shooting refer to the shooter being seen on the ground carrying a long gun. This was before he was seen climbing on the roof.

The whole venue seems far too risky a spot for a Trump rally.
Posted by: Gromble+Dribble4342   2024-07-15 15:30  

#19  The Daily Mail has a photo of a ladder leaning up against the back of the building behind some large bushes.
Posted by: trailing wife   2024-07-15 15:25  

#18  Either incompetence or the feds were in on it. Not so long ago, I'd scoff at conspiracies, but what have we had for the past 10 years?
Posted by: Regular+joe   2024-07-15 15:22  

#17  Policeman climbing ladder may not be correct; may have been climbing another policeman's shoulders, and thus had no means of doing other than observe (only on tv could cops climb with one hand or/and gun in their teeth.) And then he fell backward when confronted with a rifle at short range....
Posted by: Glenmore   2024-07-15 14:31  

#16  Shame on SS for relying on the unidentified "officer" most likely a parking lot security guard. I heard him referred elsewhere as a "township" officer, most likely untrained other than for directing traffic at events.
Posted by: illeagle   2024-07-15 12:54  

#15  The EFFBEYE needs to focus on the ladder, it is the lynchpin of the planning for the shot. Where did it come from, when was it placed there, was is ignored by the security sweep, if not who placed it and how.
Its hard to imagine it was just dumb luck the shooter noticed it at the last minute.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2024-07-15 12:46  

#14  video of shooter crawling up roof
https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1812847506180489350
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2024-07-15 12:23  

#13  It's not hard to out fox security professionals if you're sneaky enough and determined enough.
Posted by: badanov   2024-07-15 11:05  

#12  Makes you wonder if he had some help.

Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

So far from what I have seen of the police and USS response, it was a complete shit show and an example of how NOT to secure a site, place security and extract the VIP. Several people who privately do this for a living are extremely critical of their performance.

But, I'm also not saying that wasn't intentional to put the Jr Varsity squad out there deliberately.
Posted by: DarthVader   2024-07-15 10:41  

#11  Makes you wonder if he had some help.

Two sniper teams were trained on building where shooter aimed at Trump

How Oswaldian.
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-07-15 10:39  

#10   Local police officer came face-to-face with would-be assassin but backed away

If I understand the timeline correctly, right after the officer ducked down things jumped off and the shooting started, so not a lot of time to do anything.

Looking at the geography of the site, it took a bit of planning and forethought to pull this off. You need to pick a good firing position, you need a ladder to get up on the roof, and somehow get the rifle through security or pre-position it in a way that won't be discovered in a (presumed) pre-event sweep.

tl;dr: a 20 year old without formal training managed to outfox security professionals. Makes you wonder if he had some help.
Posted by: SteveS   2024-07-15 10:29  

#9  thx Skidmark
Posted by: Lord Garth   2024-07-15 09:51  

#8  Local police officer came face-to-face with would-be assassin but backed away

Public Safety officer on crowd control duty?
Reasonable to not expect a confrontation.
Not Uvalde.
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-07-15 09:51  

#7  'Explosive devices' found in Trump gunman's car

Poss simply Tannerite targets inflated by media word choice.
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-07-15 09:48  

#6  Comments by Trump:

"I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead."

He described the Secret Service agents that rushed at him like "linebackers"

"another one eliminated the gunman with "one shot right between the eyes."

"The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,"

"images of him raising his fist and being surrounded by Secret Service agents in the seconds following the shooting, said, "A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture," he added.

"I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot."

"A lot of places … you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed," Trump said. "I love them. They are such great people."

(And, I might add, when Trump stood back up after after having an ear shot off, the MAGA crowd gave him a standing ovation.)
Posted by: Whavick Scourge of the Apes9857   2024-07-15 09:00  

#5  President Donald Trump has authorized this account as a place for donations to the supporters and families wounded or killed in today’s brutal and horrific assassination attempt. All donations will be directed to these proud Americans as they grieve and recover. May God bless and unite our nation.

$3.72M so far in donations to the Victims

50,600+ donators as of 8:57am 7-15-24

A few Top Donors:
The Heritage Foundation $50,000
Anonymous $50,000
American Hartford Gold $50,000
UFC $50,000
Dana White $50,000
Alex Brola $50,000
Kid Rock $50,000
Ben Black $36,000
Vivek Ramaswamy $30,000
The Scaramucci Family $25,000
Justin Zabel $25,000
Adam Sinn $25,000
John Shahidi $25,000
Nicole Shanahan $20,000
EL Gerson $20,000
Daily Wire $15,000
Alex Campos $10,000
Jeanne Siegel $10,000
TODD RICKETTS $10,000

I interestingly name listed, even RFK's Lawyer-Wife Nicole Shanahan has donated.
Posted by: NN2N1   2024-07-15 08:57  

#4  ^#4
Maybe the Deep State learned from their previous mistake of refusing to release a school shooter's Manifesto.

Now the official storyline is "There Never was a Manifesto."

I guess, they also learned delaying the shooter's name, gives them time for the Social Media to clean up or rewrite the shooter's postings.

Posted by: NN2N1   2024-07-15 08:33  

#3  Any news on the....manifesto? Shooter's rainbow socks? New employment posting at shooter's senior resident place if employment ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2024-07-15 07:05  

#2  Skidmark -
Good, well presented & useful Info.
You must have spent hours collecting.

Thank-you
Posted by: NN2N1   2024-07-15 05:54  

#1  U.S. Secret Service says it does not plan to make any changes to 'operational security plans' for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week.

Republican National Convention security tightens following Trump assassination attempt
Posted by: Skidmark   2024-07-15 03:24  

00:00