US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has tendered her resignation amid scrutiny of security lapses related to the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, sources tell CNN.
The move comes as lawmakers and an internal government watchdog move forward with investigations into the agency’s handling of Trump’s protection and how a gunman came close to the killing the 2024 Republican presidential candidate at a rally in Pennsylvania this month.
In a statement, President Joe Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden are “grateful” for Cheatle’s decades of public service.
“As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service,” Biden said of Cheatle.
Biden said a new Secret Service director will appointed soon. The post does not need Senate approval.
There have been bipartisan calls in Congress for Cheatle’s resignation and a push by Republican lawmakers to impeach her.
Lawmakers were particularly incensed after her appearance in front of the House Oversight Committee on Monday, where she was unwilling to answer many of the committee’s questions.
During her House Oversight appearance, Cheatle acknowledged that there were “significant” and “colossal” problems with the security at the rally, but still rebuffed demands for her resignation.
“I think I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” Cheatle said Monday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that the resignation is “overdue.”
“Now we have to pick up the pieces,” Johnson said. “We have to rebuild the American people’s faith and trust in the Secret Service as an agency. It has an incredibly important responsibility in protecting presidents, former presidents, and other officials in the executive branch, and we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
In the initial wake of the shooting, Cheatle was emphatic that she would not step down. Cheatle was appointed by Biden to lead the Secret Service in 2022.
In aninterview with CNN last week, Cheatle said that the agency was “solely responsible” for the design and implementation of security at the Pennsylvania rally site, where the now-deceased gunman fired shots at Trump from an unsecured rooftop just a few hundred feet from the rally stage.
A bullet hit Trump’s ear, and the incident left one rallygoer dead and others injured.
As more has become known about the circumstances around the attempted attack, the Secret Service has been questioned about how it carried its protection of Trump that day, including the failure to control access to the rooftop and how the agency handled information, passed along by local law enforcement before the shooting, that identified the would-be assassin as a person acting suspiciously around the rally grounds.
The Secret Service and the Pennsylvania law enforcement, which assisted in the rally security efforts, have sometimes been at odds in their accounts of what happened and who was responsible for the lapses.
Cheatle had pledged her agency’s full cooperation with the congressional and internal government examinations of Secret Service’s approach to that day.
Cheatle had left a job managing Global Security at PepsiCo to take the USSS director post and before her stint in the private sector, had served in the Secret Service for 27 years.
Kimberly Cheatle is a well-known 'woke' cunt. Case in point: she previously hired YouTuber Michelle Khare to help add some sheen to the Secret Service's image 👇
MILWAUKEE—In fiery remarks made aboard his private jet as he traveled to Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention, a defiant Donald Trump ridiculed his would-be assassin Monday, calling the individual a “horse-faced slut.”
“Let me be clear, the shooter was a total fuggo who no one would fuck with a 10-foot pole,” said Trump, adding that the shooter was at best a three. “These busted freaks may try to hold me down, but I will always rise above the butterfaces and prevail.
Heed my words: The shooter is absolutely not my type and will never be my type.”
At press time, Trump had offered his condolences to the other shooting victims and their families, saying it was not fair for anyone to be attacked by such a nasty, unfuckable monster.
Thomas Matthew Crooks belonged to a shooting club based in Clairton, Pa., nearly nine miles from his family home in Bethel Park. Attorney Robert S. Bootay III confirmed to The Times that Crooks, who was shot and killed by Secret Service agents Saturday, was a member of the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club.
“Obviously, the club fully admonishes the senseless act of violence that occurred yesterday,” said Bootay, who represents the organization, in a statement. “The club also offers its sincerest condolences to theComperatore family and extends prayers to all of those injured including the former president.”
Bootay declined further comment, citing the pending FBI investigation.
The Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, on 180 acres south of Pittsburgh, bills itself as offering “one of the premier shooting facilities in the tri-state area” and has more than 2,000 members. It offers youth events, archery facilities, safety courses and multiple rifle ranges, including a highpowered-rifle range with targets up to 187 yards away.
BBC News first reported Crooks’ affiliation with the club.
Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh division, said in a news briefing Sunday that Crooks used an AR-style 556 rifle in the shooting that was legally purchased by his father, Matthew Crooks. The elder Crooks is a licensed counselor in Pennsylvania, according to state and federal records.
A local gun shop owner, Bruce Piendl, told Reuters that there are “a ton of gun clubs” in the area around Bethel Park. “We have a rich tradition of hunting and fishing and outdoor stuff,” he said.
Rojek said authorities found a suspicious device in Thomas Matthew Crooks’ car, which was inspected by bomb technicians and rendered safe. He said the FBI was in the process of analyzing it further.
Rojek said there were no indications, at this time, that the shooter had mental health issues. His social media presence has not yet rendered clues about his ideology or motive.
“We continue to look at all his social media accounts and look for any potential threatening language,” Rojek said, “but as of right now, we have not seen any.”
A law enforcement source told the New York Times that Crooks’ social media activity showed he liked to play chess and video games and was learning how to code.
Discord, a messaging platform, told The Times that it identified and removed an account that might have belonged to Crooks, citing its “off-platform behavior policy.”
“It was rarely utilized, has not been used in months, and we have found no evidence that it was used to plan this incident, promote violence, or discuss his political views,” a Discord spokesperson said in a statement. “Discord strongly condemns violence of any kind, including political violence, and we will continue to coordinate closely with law enforcement.”
Crooks graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, the Bethel Park School District said in a statement. In a video of the school’s graduation ceremony posted online, Crooks can be seen crossing the stage to receive his diploma, appearing slight of build and wearing glasses.
His senior year, Crooks was among several students given an award for math and science, according to a Tribune-Review story at the time.
The district said it would “cooperate fully with the active law enforcement investigation surrounding this case.”
Jason Kohler, who said he attended the same high school but did not share any classes with Crooks, said Crooks was bullied at school and sat alone at lunch. Other students mocked him for the way he dressed, for example in hunting outfits, Kohler said.
“He was bullied almost every day,” Kohler told reporters. “He was just a outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays.”
Jameson Myers, who was part of Crooks’ graduating class, told CBS News that Crooks tried out for his high school’s rifle team during his freshman year but did not make the cut.
Myers told the outlet that Crooks was a “nice kid who never talked poorly of anyone.”
Crooks worked at a nursing home as a dietary aide, a job that generally involves food preparation. Marcie Grimm, the administrator of Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, said in a statement she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement.” Grimm added that Crooks had a clean background check when he was hired.
Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Biden was sworn into office.
Images of Crooks’ body reviewed by the Associated Press shows he appears to have been wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a popular YouTube channelwith more than 11.6 million subscribers that regularly posts videos that show creator Matt Carriker firing off handguns and assault rifles at targets that include human mannequins and vehicles.
Carriker did not immediately respond to outreach on social media and by phone from The Times. However, he had posted a photo of Crooks’ bloody corpse wearing his brand’s T-shirt on social media with the comment “What the hell.”
Statement From U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle
I would like to start by extending my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, Saturday, as well as those who were injured during this senseless act of violence.
Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump.
Since the shooting, I have been in constant contact with Secret Service personnel in Pennsylvania who worked to maintain the integrity of the crime scene until the FBI assumed its role as the lead investigating agency into the assassination attempt. I have also been coordinating with the protective detail for former President Trump and have briefed President Biden on the details of the incident.
The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again. We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President Biden yesterday and will participate fully. We will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight action.
The incident in Pennsylvania has understandably led to questions about potential updates or changes to the security for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The U.S. Secret Service, in conjunction with our Federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety partners, designs operational security plans for National Special Security Events (NSSE) to be dynamic in order to respond to a kinetic security environment and the most up-to-date intelligence from our partners.
I am confident in the security plan our Secret Service RNC coordinator and our partners have put in place, which we have reviewed and strengthened in the wake of Saturday’s shooting. The security plans for National Special Security Events are designed to be flexible. As the conventions progress, and in accordance with the direction of the President, the Secret Service will continuously adapt our operations as necessary in order to ensure the highest level of safety and security for convention attendees, volunteers and the City of Milwaukee. In addition to the additional security enhancements we provided former President Trump's detail in June, we have also implemented changes to his security detail since Saturday to ensure his continued protection for the convention and the remainder of the campaign.
The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy. It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission.
How the attempted assassination of Donald Trump played out over 11 minutes and 9 seconds
As hundreds of Trump supporters sporting red MAGA caps and carrying placards filed onto a fairground outside the small town of Butler, Pennsylvania, there was little indication they were about to witness a seminal moment in the US presidential campaign, and history.
What started as a peaceful rally on a sunny Saturday afternoon ended in chaos and confusion as a volley of shots were fired at former president Donald Trump, leaving him alive, but with blood streaming from his ear.
Here's what ABC News Verify has been able to determine from multiple live video feeds, map data, emergency reports, and eyewitness videos and accounts.
The rally was being held here at the Butler Fairground, about 55km north of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia. Special stands and a stage had been erected at the site for the event.
6:02pm EDT (8:02am AEST)
Trump had been billed to take the stage at 5pm local time but doesn't appear until about 34 seconds past 6:02pm, when the "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood plays him in.
The rally stage is facing to the north-west with audience stands behind, and those three buildings you can see in the satellite imagery directly behind them. To Trump's left there is another series of large buildings and a car park.
6:05pm EDT
After greeting the audience, Trump officially takes the stage. His first words into the microphone are "this is a big crowd, this is a big, big beautiful crowd."
6:11pm EDT
At 25 seconds past 6:11pm, a rally attendee near the shooter's position shouts out "he's got a gun!" as people around him panic. Video posted by TMZ shows a long-haired man in a prone firing position on a building near the car park, north of the stage.
A live stream feed from Right Side Broadcasting network — corroborated with live feeds from Associated Press and Reuters — shows the first shot was heard at 33 seconds past 6:11pm Eastern Daylight Time.
Footage taken by a rally attendee and posted on TikTok shows a sniper appearing to react quickly.
Looking northwards, Trump is showing a graph about US immigration figures and says "take a look at what happened" when he is cut off.
Three shots can be heard from the same weapon in under three seconds.
Between the first and second shots, the former president clutches his ear and winces slightly, indicating the first bullet found its mark.
The second shot rings out and Trump begins to crouch behind his podium. Crowd members behind him holding "You're Fired" placards — the catchphrase Trump used when hosting the reality TV show The Apprentice — begin to realise what is happening.
The third shot is heard, and three members of his security team are almost instantly on top of Trump, shielding him with their bodies.
Former President Donald Trump landed in New Jersey after an attempted assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The man who tried to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump during a political rally was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
It remains unclear why Crooks fired shots at Trump as the assassination attempt is being investigated.
Donald Trump is '"fine" after a reported assassination attempt at his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. The gunman who fired several shots is dead, according to a prosecutor. The Butler County District Attorney also confirmed that one attendee died in the shooting.
The shooting left one attendee dead and two others critically injured, authorities say. All of them are male.
Trump said he was grazed by a bullet in the "upper part of my right ear" but is otherwise doing well.
The FBI identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who lived in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles south of the rally location.
Public records show Crooks was registered to vote as a Republican, but made a small donation to a Democratic-aligned group in 2021.
He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, according to a local media report and a video of the school’s commencement.
Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.
The 20-year-old fired on Trump while perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter, before being killed by Secret Service agents, officials said.
He didn’t have any identification on his body, so agents had to “run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” they added.
A man who said he witnessed the shooting on Saturday told the BBC that he saw a man with a gun crawling along the roof of a nearby building outside the rally.
"The shooter was crawling with a rifle on top of the other side of the barn across. We were pointing his location to the secret service, and they took him down. It was over," the witness said.
Trump injured after shots fired at rally; one attendee killed, shooter also dead
Former President Donald Trump was rushed off stage by the Secret Service at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday after shots were fired, and taken to a local medical facility where he is receiving care. His spokesman said the former president “will be fine.”
Following the shots Trump could be seen on video contracting his body to the right, clutching his ear and dropping to the ground. He was then surrounded by Secret Service agents who rushed him to his car. What appeared to be blood could be seen on the right side of Trump’s head.
One spectator from the rally is dead, and a second is in serious condition, according to the Butler County district attorney. The shooter is dead, NBC News confirms.
A doctor at the rally told NBC News that he was sitting in the bleachers when he witnessed one death in the crowd. He said he saw the man get shot from behind and fall down the bleachers, appearing to be instantly killed. He said he helped officials carry the man out of the rally.
As Secret Service agents hurriedly ushered Trump off stage, the former president stood up and punched his fist in the air for several seconds.
The shooting at the rally stage occurred outside of the Secret Service’s security perimeter for the event, three senior U.S. law enforcement officials told NBC News.
The Secret Service later said Trump was safe, and Trump’s campaign said he was at a “local medical facility.”
“The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a social media post. “This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, said “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
Later Saturday evening, the Trump campaign went into “a complete communications lockdown,” according to a message to staff obtained by NBC News.
“Everything is OK,” wrote James Blair, Trump campaign and Republican National Committee political director. “Anyone who speaks with the press, even on background or off the record, will be found and terminated immediately.”
“Refrain from commenting, speculating, posting on social media, etc. Complete and total lockdown,” Blair added.“Your personal safety is of the utmost importance. Please exercise extreme caution during this time.”
President Joe Bidenwas briefed on the incident and addressed it in remarks on camera Saturday evening.
“I hope I get to speak to him tonight and I’ll get back to you if I do,” Biden said.
In response to a question about whether the shooting was an assassination attempt, Biden said he could not answer without further information.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns
US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has tendered her resignation amid scrutiny of security lapses related to the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, sources tell CNN.
The move comes as lawmakers and an internal government watchdog move forward with investigations into the agency’s handling of Trump’s protection and how a gunman came close to the killing the 2024 Republican presidential candidate at a rally in Pennsylvania this month.
In a statement, President Joe Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden are “grateful” for Cheatle’s decades of public service.
“As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service,” Biden said of Cheatle.
Biden said a new Secret Service director will appointed soon. The post does not need Senate approval.
There have been bipartisan calls in Congress for Cheatle’s resignation and a push by Republican lawmakers to impeach her.
Lawmakers were particularly incensed after her appearance in front of the House Oversight Committee on Monday, where she was unwilling to answer many of the committee’s questions.
During her House Oversight appearance, Cheatle acknowledged that there were “significant” and “colossal” problems with the security at the rally, but still rebuffed demands for her resignation.
“I think I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” Cheatle said Monday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that the resignation is “overdue.”
“Now we have to pick up the pieces,” Johnson said. “We have to rebuild the American people’s faith and trust in the Secret Service as an agency. It has an incredibly important responsibility in protecting presidents, former presidents, and other officials in the executive branch, and we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
In the initial wake of the shooting, Cheatle was emphatic that she would not step down. Cheatle was appointed by Biden to lead the Secret Service in 2022.
In an interview with CNN last week, Cheatle said that the agency was “solely responsible” for the design and implementation of security at the Pennsylvania rally site, where the now-deceased gunman fired shots at Trump from an unsecured rooftop just a few hundred feet from the rally stage.
A bullet hit Trump’s ear, and the incident left one rallygoer dead and others injured.
As more has become known about the circumstances around the attempted attack, the Secret Service has been questioned about how it carried its protection of Trump that day, including the failure to control access to the rooftop and how the agency handled information, passed along by local law enforcement before the shooting, that identified the would-be assassin as a person acting suspiciously around the rally grounds.
The Secret Service and the Pennsylvania law enforcement, which assisted in the rally security efforts, have sometimes been at odds in their accounts of what happened and who was responsible for the lapses.
Cheatle had pledged her agency’s full cooperation with the congressional and internal government examinations of Secret Service’s approach to that day.
Cheatle had left a job managing Global Security at PepsiCo to take the USSS director post and before her stint in the private sector, had served in the Secret Service for 27 years.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/23/politics/secret-service-director-kimberly-cheatle/index.html
Defiant Trump Calls Shooter A ‘Horse-Faced Slut’
MILWAUKEE—In fiery remarks made aboard his private jet as he traveled to Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention, a defiant Donald Trump ridiculed his would-be assassin Monday, calling the individual a “horse-faced slut.”
“Let me be clear, the shooter was a total fuggo who no one would fuck with a 10-foot pole,” said Trump, adding that the shooter was at best a three. “These busted freaks may try to hold me down, but I will always rise above the butterfaces and prevail.
Heed my words: The shooter is absolutely not my type and will never be my type.”
At press time, Trump had offered his condolences to the other shooting victims and their families, saying it was not fair for anyone to be attacked by such a nasty, unfuckable monster.
https://www.theonion.com/defiant-trump-calls-shooter-a-horse-faced-slut-1851592978
20-year-old who almost killed Trump was a bright student, had a job and belonged to a gun club
The 20-year-old shooter who attempted to assassinate former President Trump was a dietary aide at a nursing home, a bright student, and a member of a gun club.
Thomas Matthew Crooks belonged to a shooting club based in Clairton, Pa., nearly nine miles from his family home in Bethel Park. Attorney Robert S. Bootay III confirmed to The Times that Crooks, who was shot and killed by Secret Service agents Saturday, was a member of the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club.
“Obviously, the club fully admonishes the senseless act of violence that occurred yesterday,” said Bootay, who represents the organization, in a statement. “The club also offers its sincerest condolences to the Comperatore family and extends prayers to all of those injured including the former president.”
Bootay declined further comment, citing the pending FBI investigation.
The Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, on 180 acres south of Pittsburgh, bills itself as offering “one of the premier shooting facilities in the tri-state area” and has more than 2,000 members. It offers youth events, archery facilities, safety courses and multiple rifle ranges, including a highpowered-rifle range with targets up to 187 yards away.
BBC News first reported Crooks’ affiliation with the club.
Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh division, said in a news briefing Sunday that Crooks used an AR-style 556 rifle in the shooting that was legally purchased by his father, Matthew Crooks. The elder Crooks is a licensed counselor in Pennsylvania, according to state and federal records.
A local gun shop owner, Bruce Piendl, told Reuters that there are “a ton of gun clubs” in the area around Bethel Park. “We have a rich tradition of hunting and fishing and outdoor stuff,” he said.
Rojek said authorities found a suspicious device in Thomas Matthew Crooks’ car, which was inspected by bomb technicians and rendered safe. He said the FBI was in the process of analyzing it further.
Rojek said there were no indications, at this time, that the shooter had mental health issues. His social media presence has not yet rendered clues about his ideology or motive.
“We continue to look at all his social media accounts and look for any potential threatening language,” Rojek said, “but as of right now, we have not seen any.”
A law enforcement source told the New York Times that Crooks’ social media activity showed he liked to play chess and video games and was learning how to code.
Discord, a messaging platform, told The Times that it identified and removed an account that might have belonged to Crooks, citing its “off-platform behavior policy.”
“It was rarely utilized, has not been used in months, and we have found no evidence that it was used to plan this incident, promote violence, or discuss his political views,” a Discord spokesperson said in a statement. “Discord strongly condemns violence of any kind, including political violence, and we will continue to coordinate closely with law enforcement.”
Crooks graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, the Bethel Park School District said in a statement. In a video of the school’s graduation ceremony posted online, Crooks can be seen crossing the stage to receive his diploma, appearing slight of build and wearing glasses.
His senior year, Crooks was among several students given an award for math and science, according to a Tribune-Review story at the time.
The district said it would “cooperate fully with the active law enforcement investigation surrounding this case.”
Jason Kohler, who said he attended the same high school but did not share any classes with Crooks, said Crooks was bullied at school and sat alone at lunch. Other students mocked him for the way he dressed, for example in hunting outfits, Kohler said.
“He was bullied almost every day,” Kohler told reporters. “He was just a outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays.”
Jameson Myers, who was part of Crooks’ graduating class, told CBS News that Crooks tried out for his high school’s rifle team during his freshman year but did not make the cut.
Myers told the outlet that Crooks was a “nice kid who never talked poorly of anyone.”
Crooks worked at a nursing home as a dietary aide, a job that generally involves food preparation. Marcie Grimm, the administrator of Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, said in a statement she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement.” Grimm added that Crooks had a clean background check when he was hired.
Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Biden was sworn into office.
Images of Crooks’ body reviewed by the Associated Press shows he appears to have been wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a popular YouTube channel with more than 11.6 million subscribers that regularly posts videos that show creator Matt Carriker firing off handguns and assault rifles at targets that include human mannequins and vehicles.
Carriker did not immediately respond to outreach on social media and by phone from The Times. However, he had posted a photo of Crooks’ bloody corpse wearing his brand’s T-shirt on social media with the comment “What the hell.”
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-07-14/thomas-matthew-crooks-trump-assassination-attempt
How the attempted assassination of Donald Trump played out over 11 minutes and 9 seconds
As hundreds of Trump supporters sporting red MAGA caps and carrying placards filed onto a fairground outside the small town of Butler, Pennsylvania, there was little indication they were about to witness a seminal moment in the US presidential campaign, and history.
What started as a peaceful rally on a sunny Saturday afternoon ended in chaos and confusion as a volley of shots were fired at former president Donald Trump, leaving him alive, but with blood streaming from his ear.
Here's what ABC News Verify has been able to determine from multiple live video feeds, map data, emergency reports, and eyewitness videos and accounts.
The rally was being held here at the Butler Fairground, about 55km north of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia. Special stands and a stage had been erected at the site for the event.
6:02pm EDT (8:02am AEST)
Trump had been billed to take the stage at 5pm local time but doesn't appear until about 34 seconds past 6:02pm, when the "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood plays him in.
The rally stage is facing to the north-west with audience stands behind, and those three buildings you can see in the satellite imagery directly behind them. To Trump's left there is another series of large buildings and a car park.
6:05pm EDT
After greeting the audience, Trump officially takes the stage. His first words into the microphone are "this is a big crowd, this is a big, big beautiful crowd."
6:11pm EDT
At 25 seconds past 6:11pm, a rally attendee near the shooter's position shouts out "he's got a gun!" as people around him panic. Video posted by TMZ shows a long-haired man in a prone firing position on a building near the car park, north of the stage.
A live stream feed from Right Side Broadcasting network — corroborated with live feeds from Associated Press and Reuters — shows the first shot was heard at 33 seconds past 6:11pm Eastern Daylight Time.
Footage taken by a rally attendee and posted on TikTok shows a sniper appearing to react quickly.
Looking northwards, Trump is showing a graph about US immigration figures and says "take a look at what happened" when he is cut off.
Three shots can be heard from the same weapon in under three seconds.
Between the first and second shots, the former president clutches his ear and winces slightly, indicating the first bullet found its mark.
The second shot rings out and Trump begins to crouch behind his podium. Crowd members behind him holding "You're Fired" placards — the catchphrase Trump used when hosting the reality TV show The Apprentice — begin to realise what is happening.
The third shot is heard, and three members of his security team are almost instantly on top of Trump, shielding him with their bodies.
More at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-14/visual-analysis-of-the-attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump/104096376
How true indeed, we should just sue the pants off those we don't like instead
American democrazy at its finest, right on
Donald Trump is '"fine" after a reported assassination attempt at his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. The gunman who fired several shots is dead, according to a prosecutor. The Butler County District Attorney also confirmed that one attendee died in the shooting.
Moments after former President Donald Trump’s likely assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania:
Witnesses reportedly saw a rifle-toting sniper crawling on a roof moments before gunfire erupted at the Trump rally Saturday.
Trump injured after shots fired at rally; one attendee killed, shooter also dead
Former President Donald Trump was rushed off stage by the Secret Service at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday after shots were fired, and taken to a local medical facility where he is receiving care. His spokesman said the former president “will be fine.”
Following the shots Trump could be seen on video contracting his body to the right, clutching his ear and dropping to the ground. He was then surrounded by Secret Service agents who rushed him to his car. What appeared to be blood could be seen on the right side of Trump’s head.
One spectator from the rally is dead, and a second is in serious condition, according to the Butler County district attorney. The shooter is dead, NBC News confirms.
A doctor at the rally told NBC News that he was sitting in the bleachers when he witnessed one death in the crowd. He said he saw the man get shot from behind and fall down the bleachers, appearing to be instantly killed. He said he helped officials carry the man out of the rally.
As Secret Service agents hurriedly ushered Trump off stage, the former president stood up and punched his fist in the air for several seconds.
The shooting at the rally stage occurred outside of the Secret Service’s security perimeter for the event, three senior U.S. law enforcement officials told NBC News.
The Secret Service later said Trump was safe, and Trump’s campaign said he was at a “local medical facility.”
“The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a social media post. “This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, said “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”
Later Saturday evening, the Trump campaign went into “a complete communications lockdown,” according to a message to staff obtained by NBC News.
“Everything is OK,” wrote James Blair, Trump campaign and Republican National Committee political director. “Anyone who speaks with the press, even on background or off the record, will be found and terminated immediately.”
“Refrain from commenting, speculating, posting on social media, etc. Complete and total lockdown,” Blair added. “Your personal safety is of the utmost importance. Please exercise extreme caution during this time.”
President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident and addressed it in remarks on camera Saturday evening.
“I hope I get to speak to him tonight and I’ll get back to you if I do,” Biden said.
In response to a question about whether the shooting was an assassination attempt, Biden said he could not answer without further information.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/13/trump-rushed-off-stage-by-secret-service-at-rally-after-loud-cracking-noises.html
😲😲😲