A local SWAT sniper spotted the suspected shooter at a rally for former President Donald Trump earlier than previously known, according to text messages obtained by ABC News.
On July 13, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired shots at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He killed one person, critically injured two others, and left Trump hurt.
At 4:26 p.m., almost two hours before the shooting started, a sniper saw Crooks sitting at a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit. This information was shared among snipers stationed at the American Glass Research building, where local police were also stationed.
The sniper who saw Crooks thought he might know about their position because the sniper had earlier put his rifle in his car. Less than an hour later, another sniper from the same team reported Crooks as suspicious to local command.
This is the first time that key law enforcement personnel on the scene have talked publicly about the events. Jason Woods, the lead sharpshooter on the SWAT team, said they were supposed to have a briefing with the Secret Service, but it never happened. He felt this was a sign that something was wrong because they had no communication.
The Secret Service, which was responsible for the event’s security, was supported by local and state law enforcement agencies. However, there were complaints that the Secret Service wasn’t informed of the warnings.
A Secret Service spokesperson said they are committed to understanding what happened and working with Congress, the FBI, and other investigations to prevent such incidents in the future.
Beaver County Chief Detective Patrick Young, who oversees the Emergency Services Unit and SWAT team, said teamwork was crucial. He believes his team did everything they could that day.