Trump shooting: the security failures that let gunman mount assassination attempt

BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA – A wave of shock and disbelief swept across the nation last night as an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump unfolded at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident, which left one bystander dead and two others injured, has thrust the issue of political violence and the deepening divisions within American society into the harsh glare of the national spotlight.

The horrifying scene unfolded just minutes into Trump’s speech. As the former president addressed a crowd of thousands, a volley of gunshots pierced the air, sending attendees diving for cover in a chaotic scramble for safety. Witnesses described a scene of sheer terror as the initial shock gave way to the realization that the rally was under attack.

Footage of the incident, captured from multiple angles, paints a chilling picture of the events. In the videos, Trump can be seen momentarily clutching the right side of his head as the first shots ring out. He then ducks and drops to the ground as Secret Service agents swarm the stage, forming a protective barrier around him with their bodies. The agents can be heard yelling, "Get down! Get down!" as they hustle a stunned Trump offstage.

One particularly harrowing clip captures a bullet seemingly suspended in mid-air, frozen in its trajectory towards the stage. The chilling image serves as a stark reminder of how close the nation came to witnessing the assassination of a former president.

As Trump is rushed to safety, he can be heard repeatedly asking for his shoes, a seemingly mundane detail that underscores the shock and disorientation of the moment. Despite the urging of Secret Service agents, Trump hesitates to leave the stage, momentarily resisting their efforts to move him to a secure location.

Outside the venue, chaos reigned as attendees fled in panic, desperate to escape the gunfire. Those present described a scene of utter confusion and fear, with many unsure of where the shots were coming from or how many shooters were involved.

One witness, a local business owner, recounted how he had spotted a man, later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, scaling a low roof adjacent to the rally stage. The witness described seeing Crooks, armed with a rifle, assuming a prone position on the roof before opening fire. He claimed to have alerted nearby police officers to the gunman’s presence but was met with confusion and inaction.

"We noticed the guy crawling, Army-style, you know, bear crawling up the roof of the building beside us, 50, 50 feet away from us," the witness recounted. "So we're standing there, you know, we're pointing, we're pointing at the guy crawling up the roof, and he had a gun, right? He had a rifle. We could clearly see him with a rifle. Absolutely. Um, we're pointing at him, the police are down there running around on the ground. We're like, 'Hey, man, there's a guy on the roof with a rifle!' And the police were like, 'Huh? What?' You know, like, like they didn't know what was going on."

In the aftermath of the shooting, the true cost of the attack became tragically clear. Corey Compor, a 50-year-old volunteer fire chief and beloved member of the local community, was killed while heroically shielding his family from the hail of bullets. Two other attendees, David Dutch and James Copenhaven, sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to nearby hospitals, where they remain in stable condition.

Trump, physically unharmed but visibly shaken, was taken to Butler County Hospital for a precautionary examination. He was released shortly after and issued a statement thanking law enforcement for their swift action and expressing his condolences for the victims and their families.

"It was God Alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening," Trump later posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. "We will fear not but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness."

The FBI, leading the investigation into the attack, has identified Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the gunman. Crooks, who lived with his parents approximately an hour’s drive from the rally site, was shot and killed by Secret Service agents during the attack.

The FBI is working to determine Crooks’ motive and whether he acted alone. While public records indicate that Crooks was registered as a Republican voter, he had also made a small donation to a progressive political action committee on the day of President Biden’s inauguration. Neighbors described Crooks as a quiet and unremarkable young man, expressing shock and disbelief at his involvement in the shooting.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the political establishment, prompting widespread condemnation from leaders across the political spectrum. President Biden, visibly shaken by the news, addressed the nation from the Oval Office, denouncing the attack as an assault on democracy and calling for unity and healing.

"The idea that there's political violence or violence in America like this, this is just unheard of. It's just not appropriate, and we, everybody, everybody must condemn it, everybody," Biden stated.

The Biden campaign has temporarily suspended all campaign activities as a mark of respect for the victims and to allow for a period of national reflection.

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump marks a dark chapter in American history, one that has left the nation grappling with uncomfortable questions about the escalating political climate and the very real threat of violence within its borders. As investigators work tirelessly to uncover the motivations behind this horrific act, the nation remains on edge, haunted by the chilling realization of how close America came to witnessing a tragedy of unimaginable proportions.