Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, a guest on ‘Fox & Friends,’ shared his insights on the assassination attempt at the Butler rally. As the RNC enters its third day, the focus is on making America ‘Strong Once Again.’
A chilling image has surfaced, revealing a cellphone and remote transmitter belonging to Thomas Matthew Crooks. These items were found near his lifeless body after his failed attempt to assassinate former President Trump. The gray remote with 12 buttons and the smartphone were discovered on the roof of a building in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Crooks had stationed himself as a sniper.
The Secret Service team ultimately neutralized Crooks after he shot Trump in the ear and tragically killed an innocent rally-goer. The remote appears to have been connected to an explosive device in Crooks’ car, though it never detonated. Investigators are examining whether the device was intended to cause harm at the site or act as a distraction during the assassination attempt.
WPXI, a Pittsburgh-based news outlet, reported that local police had taken pictures of Crooks approximately thirty minutes before the incident. Earlier in the day, security personnel became suspicious of him when he passed through security carrying a rangefinder, a tool commonly used by target shooters and hunters to measure the distance of long-range shots.
Around 5:45 p.m., local police spotted Crooks on the roof, took his picture, and alerted their colleagues. Shortly after, an officer confronted Crooks directly, but the would-be assassin responded by pointing his AR-style rifle at the officer, causing Crooks to fall from the rooftop. During the altercation, Crooks fired shots that narrowly missed Trump’s head, hitting his ear instead. Tragically, one of the bullets fatally struck a volunteer firefighter named Corey Comperatore, who had attended the rally with his wife and children.
CNN reported that Crooks had informed his boss at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that he needed the day off with the explanation that he had “something to do.” He even mentioned that he would likely return to work the following day. However, Secret Service snipers ended those plans when they eliminated Crooks after he fired at Trump.
Concerns have been raised about the lack of Secret Service personnel on top of the building from which Crooks launched his attack. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle explained that the roof was unoccupied due to its steep incline.
The investigation into this disturbing incident continues as authorities work to determine Crooks’ motives and whether he had any accomplices.
