BUTLER, Pa. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that the gunman behind the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was spotted by law enforcement nearly 30 minutes before firing the shots that injured Trump and killed another man.
Our sister station WPXI-TV reports that a member of the Beaver County ESU team spotted gunman Thomas Crooks on a roof near the rally at 5:45 p.m., called it in, and took a picture of him.
WPXI’s Nicole Ford said it’s not clear if Crooks had a gun with him at that point.
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According to multiple sources, a law enforcement officer had also previously seen Crooks on the ground and called him in as a suspicious person with a picture prior to 5:45 p.m.
WPXI’s sources also said an officer checked the grounds for Crooks at that point but did not see him where the first picture was taken.
About 26 minutes after the second picture of Crooks was taken by law enforcement and the information called in, shots were fired from the roof of the American Glass Research building. Seconds later, a Secret Service sniper returned fire and killed Crooks.
The shooting not only injured Trump, but also killed volunteer fireman Corey Comperatore, who jumped in front of his wife and child, shielding them from the bullets.
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