Text messages obtained by Senator Chuck Grassley and shared with Fox News have unveiled that law enforcement officers flagged Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who targeted former President Donald Trump, as suspicious at least 90 minutes before he opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally. The texts, originating from the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit (ESU), indicate a series of missed opportunities to intervene before the shooting began.
The first alert about Crooks came at around 4:36 p.m., when an officer ending his shift reported that a man had parked near their vehicles. "Someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know," the officer texted his colleagues. This man, later identified as Crooks, was then observed sitting at a picnic table about 50 yards from the rally's exit.
Despite recognizing Crooks as suspicious, the officers did not approach him. Around 5:10 p.m., another message noted that Crooks was on the move and had positioned himself near the American Glass International (AGR) building. An officer even snapped a picture of Crooks, describing him as "kid leaning around building we are in" and using a rangefinder to look towards the stage.
"Call it in to command and have a uniform check it out," the officer advised in the text. However, this warning seemingly went unheeded, and no action was taken to remove Crooks from the vicinity. By 6:11 p.m., Crooks had opened fire, wounding Trump and killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore, before being fatally shot by a Secret Service sniper.
The newly surfaced texts extend the timeline of when authorities were aware of Crooks from the previously reported 60 minutes to 90 minutes before the shooting. This additional time highlights a critical period during which intervention might have prevented the tragedy.
Members of the local SWAT team, involved in the event's security, have expressed frustration and regret over the communication failures that contributed to the incident. Mike Priolo, a member of the Beaver County SWAT team, stated on ABC's "Good Morning America," "We just became part of history. And not in a good way." He acknowledged the collective failure, adding, "People died. If there was anything we could have done to stop that, we should have."
Jason Woods, team leader for Beaver County's Emergency Services Unit and SWAT sniper section, revealed that a planned coordination meeting with the Secret Service did not occur. "That was probably a pivotal point, where I started thinking things were wrong because [the meeting] never happened," Woods said. He lamented the lack of communication, which only commenced after the shooting had started.
In response to the incident, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned, taking responsibility for the security breakdown. This admission of failure underscores the need for stringent communication and coordination protocols in high-risk security scenarios.
The FBI, leading the investigation into the shooting, has yet to determine Crooks' motive. Special Agent Kevin Rojek, in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, confirmed that Trump has agreed to a standard interview as part of the investigation. The FBI aims to gain insights from Trump's perspective on the events of that day.
In addition to targeting Trump, Crooks' online activities revealed searches related to prior mass shootings, improvised explosive devices, and the attempted assassination of the Slovakian prime minister. These findings suggest a potentially broader context for his actions, which the FBI continues to explore.
