Since the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, several videos have been released by bystanders, the media, and police that challenge the existing narrative of the assassination attempt being a mere “security failure.”
A video posted by rally attendees appears to show the shooter, Matthew Crooks, standing outside the event perimeter and looking up and around himself quite suspiciously.
This latest video supports previous reports made by bystanders who claimed they witnessed Crooks up to three hours before the event began. Bystanders claim they alerted local law enforcement outside the event perimeter of the strange behavior coming from Crooks with no action being taken.
Law enforcement officials reported that snipers positioned inside a nearby building noticed Crooks’ suspicious behavior. They observed him checking his phone, using a rangefinder, and moving towards the rear of the building. Despite these observations being reported to the command post, Crooks managed to access the rooftop.
The incident has prompted scrutiny of the Secret Service’s security measures. While agents quickly responded to the threat once shots were fired, the fact that Crooks was able to position himself on a rooftop approximately 150 yards from the stage suggests potential vulnerabilities in the perimeter security.
The FBI is now investigating whether Crooks was a politically motivated domestic extremist and examining his phone for further evidence as detonators were found near his body in addition to explosive materials being found in his car.