Credits: CNN
A witness recounted seeing a gunman moving “from roof to roof” moments before an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Ben Macer, who was near a fence line, said he alerted officers to the presence of the alleged shooter, according to CNN affiliate KDKA.
“I told an officer the guy was on the roof,” Macer told KDKA. “When I turned around to go back to where I was, the gunshots started. Then it was just chaos, and we all came running away.”
Authorities identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene. The FBI stated Crooks was a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, located about 35 miles south of Butler, where Trump was holding the rally.
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He was registered as a Republican, according to Pennsylvania’s voter database, but Federal Election Commission records show a $15 donation from a Thomas Crooks at the same address to the Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned group, in January 2021.
Authorities confirmed the shooting left one attendee dead and two others critically injured. Although the victims have been identified, their details have not yet been publicly released.
Trump’s spokesperson said the former president is “fine” and that the Secret Service ensured his safety. Trump mentioned on social media that he was hit by a bullet in the “upper part of my right ear.” He returned to Newark, New Jersey, early Sunday morning.
Multiple federal and state agencies are now investigating the incident, including how the shooter accessed his location and the weapon used. The FBI has requested the public to submit any information, photos, or videos related to the shooting via FBI.gov/butler or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
President Joe Biden, who was in Delaware at the time, returned to the White House early Sunday to stay informed about the investigation. He stated he had spoken with Trump and publicly condemned the shooting. Authorities have indicated there are no additional threats but emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.