Newly uncovered text messages shed light on severe understaffing issues faced by local law enforcement during former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. DailyMail.com has accessed these messages from Beaver County emergency services leading up to the tragic event where Trump was shot in the ear, and a former volunteer firefighter lost his life after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire.
Five days before the rally on July 8, an unnamed team leader sent a message indicating they needed six officers to cover a 12-hour shift for the event. Unfortunately, only two people were available for the entire shift, while two others offered to cover half of it.
The leader mentioned having limited personnel due to many being either at work, on vacation, or injured.
Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who is overseeing the situation, obtained new messages, bodycam footage, and law enforcement debriefs. These documents reveal that authorities were aware of Crooks more than an hour and a half before Trump took the stage.
At 4:26 p.m., after a Beaver County sniper ended his shift, he texted about a suspicious person he had noticed, who was later identified as Crooks. The officer described Crooks sitting at a picnic table about 50 yards from the building’s exit.
By 5:38 p.m., officers were already exchanging photos of Crooks, who was marked as suspicious.
Despite this, no action was taken. The messages indicated concerns about Crooks with a range finder, which led to a suggestion to alert Secret Service snipers. An officer inquired about Crooks’ direction, with the response being he might be moving away from the event.
Drone Technology Controversy
Recent whistleblower claims reveal that the Secret Service obstructed the use of drone technology that could have helped secure the rally. According to Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., the night before the event, Secret Service repeatedly turned down offers from local law enforcement to use drones. After the shooting, the Secret Service then requested the use of drones to survey the aftermath.
The drones in question had the capability to identify and even neutralize active shooters.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is now being pressed for all records and communications related to the drone offer. This revelation adds another layer to the ongoing investigation into what is being described as the Secret Service’s most significant security lapse since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
Fallout and Resignations
In the wake of a grueling six-hour testimony, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned.
During the testimony, Cheatle faced questions about why the roof, where Crooks executed his attack, was not included in the security perimeter and why Trump was allowed on stage despite Crooks being identified as a suspicious person an hour prior.
Cheatle explained that the agency typically prefers “sterile rooftops.”
Additional Findings
FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed that Crooks had flown a drone 200 yards from the stage just two hours before the attack and had three explosives in his car.
Crooks shot Trump from the roof of a nearby building, just outside the security perimeter, using an AR-style weapon legally purchased from his father in October 2023.
Wray also reported that eight bullet cartridges were recovered from the roof where Crooks fired. He did not rule out the possibility of accomplices, as investigations continue.
When questioned about why Trump was allowed on stage despite being warned of a potential threat, Wray admitted that the answer remains unclear.
The FBI and Secret Service had spotted Crooks as a person of interest 62 minutes before the shooting but failed to act on it in time.
The incident resulted in a bullet grazing Trump’s ear, the death of Corey Comperatore, 50, and injuries to David Dutch and James Copenhaver, both 57, who are now in stable condition.
Mine Crypto. Earn $GOATS while it is free! Click Here!!TDPel Media
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!