Where he was nearly assassinated…
A whistleblower has stepped forward to allege that the Secret Service turned down an offer for drone surveillance at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally, where Thomas Matthews Crooks came within an inch of assassinating Donald Trump.
Whistleblower's Shocking Revelation
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) disclosed information from the unidentified whistleblower, who claimed that local law enforcement and their partners offered drone surveillance to the Secret Service before the rally. This revelation was detailed in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, highlighting that the Secret Service repeatedly refused the drone support on the night before the event.
NEW:
— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) July 25, 2024
“According to one whistleblower, the night before the rally, U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure the rally.”
Via @HawleyMO pic.twitter.com/aKjxP5KUyw
Crooks' Drone Reconnaissance
Hours before the shooting, Thomas Matthews Crooks conducted aerial reconnaissance at the Butler Farm Show grounds using a DJI camera drone. His drone, flying a programmed path, provided an overhead view of the rally site, likely aiding in his attack planning. (RELATED: Trump Shooter Put In Range Time Weeks Before Assassination Attempt)
NEW: Thomas Crooks was able to fly a drone over the Pennsylvania rally location before the event started according to the Wall Street Journal.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 20, 2024
So a 20-year-old would be assas*in can use a drone but not the Secret Service?
“The gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump was able to… pic.twitter.com/RiHacRFjdc
Law enforcement later recovered this drone, along with other equipment, from Crooks' vehicle, including a metal box of explosives wired to a receiver. Federal authorities typically ban drones over secured areas.
Suspicious Activity Leading Up to the Shooting
The New York Post reported that Crooks was seen riding his bicycle around the rally location for over 40 minutes before the shooting. Law enforcement sources noted that Crooks had been identified as “suspicious” an hour before the attack when an officer saw him using a rangefinder, a tool similar to binoculars used by hunters to measure long-range shots.
Secret Service and Law Enforcement Response
The Secret Service identified Crooks as a threat 10 minutes before Trump took the stage but allowed the former president and presidential front-runner to take the stage anyway.
Bodycam footage from Butler County law enforcement, taken moments after the assassination attempt, confirmed that there was a drone on standby, ready for deployment to assist the Secret Service, but it was never utilized. (RELATED: Secret Service's Justification For Sniper Positioning At Trump Rally Suggests Staggering Incompetence)
BREAKING: This new bodycam footage shows cops and Secret Service agents discussing Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks over his dead body on 13th of July, 2024. pic.twitter.com/Rpy9DfEjhL
— Target Reporter (@Target_Reporter) July 23, 2024
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Christopher Wray’s “shrapnel”. There are MANY photos & videos of POTUS Trump during assassination attempt. One in particular shows a bullet wizzing by, the other, after the attempt, shows the teleprompter’s to be INTACT with no sign of damage. I’m thinking either Christopher Wray is similarly afflicted to Joe Biden, or he is just a malicious spinster. If I were POTUS Trump, I would be very careful about giving this man (and I use the term very loosely) an interview, unless there are plenty of witnesses for Trump and the meeting is video and voice-recorded.