Butler, PA – U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley released a body camera video on Tuesday that displays the grim scene atop a building following an attack where assailant Thomas Crooks fatally targeted former President Donald Trump during a public rally. The July 13 attempt, which resulted in Trump suffering a gunshot wound to the ear, ended with law enforcement fatally shooting Crooks.
In the circulated footage, law enforcement personnel can be seen securing the area close to Crooks’ lifeless body. A quantity of blood is visible near the fallen shooter. The video highlights a tense exchange between officers clad in body armor, some of whom are handling rifles, and an official in a black suit and sunglasses.
Senator Grassley, representing Iowa, voiced his concerns on the social platform X, stressing the necessity for immediate clarity on the incident’s security lapses. “We NEED detailed answers ASAP on security failures,” he stated, underlining the need for transparency in the investigative process.
The video provides glimpsures of the high-stakes situation immediately following the shooting, including excerpts where a law enforcement officer references the sighting of an individual behaving suspiciously prior to the shooting, although it is not confirmed in the footage that the person was Crooks.
Details emerged that the footage was sourced from the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit after lawmakers demanded more information. This team is known for responding to critical incidents but the video raises more questions than answers regarding the sequence of events leading up to the tragic day.
The occurrence has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the political aisle, with multiple requests for a thorough examination of security protocols that were in place during the event. In response to the growing pressure and the perceived oversight under her command, U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle stepped down on Tuesday. In her resignation letter, Cheatle accepted “full responsibility for the security lapse.”
Investigators are yet to determine Crooks’ motive. During a Security Commitee hearing, it was revealed by Colonel Christopher Paris of the Pennsylvania State Police that Crooks had been flagged as suspicious prior to the event. According to Colonel Paris, the local emergency services had communicated Crooks’ suspicious behavior to the state police, who had, in turn, informed the Secret Service.
Crooks, who had positioned himself on a building with a bird’s eye view of the rally, was not treated as a concrete threat until moments before he opened fire, tragically killing one bystander and wounding two others before being neutralized by the authorities.
Following the assassination attempt, the former president, who recently secured the Republican nomination for another presidential run, has reportedly decided to shift his campaign strategy to hold indoor rallies, moving away from the previously popular outdoor settings.
This incident underscores ongoing concerns regarding the security of high-profile figures and the preparedness of law enforcement to handle emergent threats, prompting an ongoing review by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General. As the investigation continues, officials and the public alike are calling for accountability and enhanced measures to prevent such breaches in the future.