Donald Trump assassination bid: New bodycam footage captures tense moment police spotted shooter (WATCH)
Recently recovered bodycam footage from Pennsylvania police reveals the intense moments leading up to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a campaign event, resulting in one death and two injuries.
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FollowRecently recovered bodycam footage from the Butler Township Police Department in Pennsylvania, which has now gone viral, has provided crucial insights into the moments leading up to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a campaign event last month.
The footage captures the intense efforts of two police officers as they tried to prevent the attacker, Thomas Matthew Crooks, from carrying out his deadly plan. Tragically, the incident resulted in the death of one individual and injuries to two others.
The video footage shows two Butler Township Police Department officers, who were hoisted onto a rooftop approximately 12 feet high, frantically attempting to intervene as Crooks positioned himself to execute the attack.
Crooks, armed with a DPMS AR-15 rifle, aimed his weapon at one of the officers as they scaled the structure. In a heart-stopping moment, one of the officers lost his grip and fell around eight feet, suffering an ankle injury. The video does not capture Crooks during this sequence, but the tension and urgency of the situation are palpable.
As the footage concludes, it reveals Crooks' body surrounded by officers after he was lethally shot by a Secret Service sniper. In the video, a police officer expresses his frustration, stating, "I'm f***ing p***ed. We couldn't find him."
Another officer recounts his harrowing experience of being on the roof alone, recalling how Crooks turned around and startled him, causing him to fall. "Before you motherf*****s came up here, I popped my head up there like an idiot by myself, dude," the officer says in the video.
"Then he turned around and I f***ing dropped, and I was fing calling out, 'Bro, f***ing on top of the roof.' We're not on the same frequency," he added, highlighting the communication challenges faced by the officers.
According to Lieutenant Matthew Pearson of the Butler Township Police Department, the officer who had scaled the rooftop found himself in a precarious position, hanging from the building and unable to draw his weapon. It was at this moment that Crooks opened fire, resulting in a minor injury to Trump’s right ear.
The gunfire also tragically claimed the life of 50-year-old Corey Comparatore, who died protecting his family, and left two other individuals, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, injured. Both Dutch and Copenhaver have since been discharged from the hospital and are recuperating at home.
The incident has raised serious questions about the security measures in place during the rally. Mere moments before the gunfire erupted, Copenhaver’s camera captured footage of an individual moving on the rooftop—a critical security lapse that acting Secret Service Director Ronaldo Rowe later acknowledged as a 'failure' on their part.
According to FBI reports, Crooks arrived at the rally venue around 11 am and lingered for an hour before leaving, only to return at approximately 3:50 pm. Local law enforcement first noticed him around 5:10 pm, just 30 minutes before Trump was scheduled to speak.
Crooks operated a drone near the rally site, but it did not record any footage. At about 5:30 pm, law enforcement took a photograph of Crooks and relayed it to their headquarters with a message, alerting officials to his presence and activities.
At approximately 6:12 pm, Crooks fired eight shots at Trump, hitting him in the ear. A Secret Service sniper then neutralized him within seconds.
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