Fox News has obtained new bodycam footage showing a Pennsylvania police officer's intense confrontation with Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at an open-air rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. The chaotic aftermath left three people injured, including Trump, and resulted in one fatality.
Officers Struggle to Reach Shooter
The footage reveals officers urgently scrambling to confront Crooks, who had positioned himself atop a building. This building housed three police snipers providing security, but due to a personnel shortage, none were present on the roof. In a desperate move, a Butler Township police officer was hoisted by a colleague in an attempt to get onto the roof as concerned bystanders had begun pointing out the shooter.
As the officer gripped the ledge, Crooks, armed with an AR-15-styled rifle, suddenly turned. The officer fell one story to the ground, sustaining an ankle injury. Shortly afterward, Crooks fired eight shots before being neutralized by a Secret Service sniper 16 seconds later.
Suspicious Behavior Noted Before the Attack
Fox News reports that Crooks had drawn the attention of law enforcement over 90 minutes before the shooting. Officers noticed the 20-year-old carrying a rangefinder and surveying rooftops. Particularly alarmed by the rangefinder, four officers attempted to apprehend Crooks, but he managed to evade capture until the tragic incident unfolded.
The footage is taken from two officers from the Butler Township Police Department who made a desperate attempt to stop Crooks moments before he fired his DPMS AR-15 rifle striking former President Trump in the ear, killing Corey Comparatore and injuring two others.
“F—— this close, bro. Dude he turned around on me,” the officer who was hoisted can be heard saying later on in bodycam video released Thursday.
One officer can be seen hosting another officer onto the roof where Crooks was stationed, which is about 12 feet above the ground.
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“Before you motherf—–s came up here, I popped my head up there like an idiot by myself dude,” the officer who was boosted onto the roof says. “Then he turned around and I f—— dropped and I started f—— I was calling out bro, f—— on top of the roof. F—— we're not on the same frequency?”
The footage highlights the importance of having sufficient personnel and vigilance to protect public figures at large events.
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What happened to the ladder?
I wondered the samething, It could be on the other side of the connector building.
WHERE IS THE FOOTAGE. you say you obtained harrowing bodycam footage. Where is it? There is no link to it in the article..
You also say “This building housed three police snipers providing security, but due to a personnel shortage, none were present on the roof.” WAS IT TO HOT TO GET ON THE ROOF. I do not beleive that building has any windows facing the stage where President Trump was. Why were they in the building? Why not on top, Oh yea it was slopped. Glad she is gone.
“Fox News reports that Crooks had drawn the attention of law enforcement over 90 minutes before the shooting. You mean to tell me that the USSSS and other law enforcement could not catch a guy seen 90 min. before the shooting? OR is it that they didn’t try? I am a former cop I see someone with a range finder checking distances to where a politician is about to speak I STOP THAT PERSON AND INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY! and I hate career politicians. Cory Comparetone (I am sorry if I spelled his name wrong) would NOT be dead now if the job was done correctly!
Patrick Houck did you see the bodycam footage? Why don’t get to see it? If you going to talk about it and how “The footage reveals officers urgently scrambling to confront Crooks” you really need to include it in your artical.
Well the video finally came up 10 min after I opened the page. I suspect it was because of all the ads on this site and I have fiber optic service. So why no sound for the first min. 42 seconds. Were shots fired in that time? Did they edit the sound so you don’t hear the sniper kill someone? I don’t understand, please don’t tell me it is to not offend/upset someone watching. One more thing I can not beleive that Butler PD Officer has Empty magazines in his ammo supply bag, That’s the way to be prepared.
There was mention here that here were not enough security people. It would be interesting to see and compare the costs of secret service protection for Trump and Hunter Biden