It’s been over three weeks since the failed assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, and many questions still remain about the alleged security lapses that led to the incident. However, piece by piece, new information is emerging.
Newly released bodycam footage shows a police officer being lifted up onto a roof to confront the alleged would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks, just two minutes before he opened fire on Trump and rally goers on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Thomas Crooks began shooting at 6:12 PM ET on July 13.
The footage, obtained by Fox Digital, captures the moment when a Butler Township police officer was hoisted up onto the roof at 6:10 PM ET, just minutes before the attack.
The officer finds himself staring down the barrel of Crooks’ shotgun and quickly retreats.
He then sprints away, warning other officers about the gunman positioned on the roof.
The initial part of the video does not include audio until the 1:38 mark, making it unclear what was said before that point. However, Fox provides some context on what was said later. The footage shows the officer being lifted onto the roof with the help of another officer, briefly confronting Crooks, and then dropping back down to the ground.
This new bodycam footage shows that, even after shots were fired, it took police FIVE MINUTES to reach the location of Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“F*cking this close, bro. Dude, he turned around on me,” the officer who was hoisted onto the roof remarked.
Their body cameras capture the urgency as they move through the building, shouting commands and coordinating with other units. Officers repeatedly called for a ladder to reach Crooks’ position amidst the chaotic scene.
Throughout the recording, viewers can hear the officers’ frantic communication. “He’s straight up,” one officer says, indicating Crooks’ exact location. In another clip, an officer warns, “He’s laying down, he’s going north, next building over,” as they attempt to track the suspect’s movements. “He’s got glasses, long hair,” the officer adds.
Watch (Warning: Language):
🚨BOMBSHELL BUTLER, PA BODYCAM FOOTAGE 🚨
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 8, 2024
New footage just released helps fill in timeline moments before assassin Thomas Crooks opened fire
Video shows a police officer being hoisted to the roof of the AGR building, interrupting Crooks just seconds before he started shooting pic.twitter.com/kTUo5sEGXs
