Since the failed assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, federal authorities have remained notably silent. However, there has been significant debate over which law enforcement agency bore primary responsibility for securing the building from which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks took his shot.
One narrative quickly surfaced, asserting that the Secret Service had secured a perimeter around the immediate event venue, while local police were tasked with securing areas beyond that perimeter, including the specific building in question.
On Tuesday, Butler Township Commissioner Ed Natali took to Facebook to blast reports suggesting that local police were responsible for securing the vicinity around the American Glass Research property, who owned the building where Crooks fired at President Trump from.
In his post, Natali adamantly asserted that the Butler Township Police Department had no role in the security detail. Instead, they were assigned only to traffic detail. Per Natali, they had no responsibility for securing the AGR property or any other location, and “Anyone who says so, reports on it, implies it, etc… is uninformed, lying, or covering their own backsides.”
I want to say as clearly as can be said, the Butler Township Police Department (“BTPD”) had no security detail for this event. There were seven officers all assigned to traffic detail. Period!! The BTPD was NOT responsible for securing AGR or any other location. Anyone who says so, reports on it, implies it, etc… is uninformed, lying, or covering their own backsides. I trust I am being loud and clear. To read this article and stating an unnamed USSS agent pointing the finger at “Local Police” is a very transparent deflection. I am disappointed this article was even published by Butler Radio Network.
As Sheriff Slupe stated, the BTPD officers in the general vicinity left their traffic detail to respond to the report of a suspicious person. With reports of the suspect on the roof, a first officer being assisted by a second officer was pulling himself up to see on the roof. The suspect turned his firearm on the first officer, who as Sheriff Slupe stated, was not in position to wield his weapon to defend himself. He fell to safety and was injured in the process. The fact of the matter is the encounter with the officer most likely forced the shooter to hurry his shots.
It is completely disgusting to see finger pointing has become the priority, when we had four people shot, with one of the four fatally wounded. I am sure it is comfort to all family members, including President Trump’s family, that it is more important to affix the blame, rather than the problem.
The men and women who serve in the BTPD are dedicated to their jobs, the wellbeing of their fellow citizens, and they love their community.
Edward R. Natali, Butler Township commissioner.
Natali spoke with Martha MacCallum on Fox News’ The Story via telephone Wednesday afternoon and confirmed that local officers responded to reports of a suspicious person in the area and attempted to locate them. According to Natali, there was no ladder nearby, so two officers improvised by one boosting the other to access the roof. The officer being lifted used both hands to pull himself up and was unable to hold his weapon. When the gunman aimed at him, the officer fell back, sustaining injuries. Natali explained that if the officer had been able to engage the shooter, he would have done so.
Listen:
BREAKING NEWS: Butler Township police wre asked by USSS to DIRECT TRAFFIC, NOT “secure the outer perimeter” as the Regime’s organs have claimed. h/t @FoxNews Edward Natali of Commissioner of Butler, PA Township says their officer who confronted Crooks did NOT “flee”! pic.twitter.com/aHOXCXu4kt
— Mike “The KingDude” Church, Radio Talk Show Host (@TheKingDude) July 17, 2024
The extent of involvement from other local law enforcement agencies on Saturday remains unclear. However, it is confirmed that motorcycle officers from Pittsburgh were present at the scene, a detail that has sparked its own controversy, as Breaking Digest previously reported.
Four days after the assassination attempt on President Trump we have more questions than answers.
Someone needs to start explaining to the American people how this could have happened.
