New details have reportedly been released about Trump Rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks. They paint a new picture of the events leading up to the shooting. Reportedly, Crooks used a drone to scope out the Pennsylvania fairgrounds ahead of the rally. He flew a drone over the Butler Farm Showgrounds in the hours before the assassination attempt, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Investigators suggest Crooks flew the drone multiple times across the area as a way of mapping out a plan for his attack. In fact, authorities reportedly found a drone in his car following the shooting. Crooks reportedly programmed the drone to follow a predetermined path. Reportedly, The Secret Service did not use any drones themselves to monitor the area. It's unclear if Crooks flew the drone when the area was under their supervision.
Crooks reportedly charted out his attack for days. He used a bike as well to explore the fairgrounds. Ultimately, Crooks climbed the roof of a nearby building. Using an AR rifle, he attempted to shoot the former president while he was speaking. He fired at least six rounds, killing volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore. He also injured two others.
Trump Rally Shooter
Following the attack, there's been a lot of questions about security. United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has gotten a lot of backlash for the situation. She reported that the Secret Service was aware that Crooks was a person of suspicion.
"The shooter was actually identified as a potential person of suspicion," she said. "Unfortunately, with the rapid succession of how things unfolded. By the time that individual was eventually located, they were on the rooftop and were able to fire off at the former president."
Likewise, several have questioned why no one was on the roof. The director explained their reasoning. She said, "That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there's a safety factor that would be considered there. That we wouldn't want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside."
