Trump fans may have been shot by Secret Service or cops by mistake when they returned fire on assassin Thomas Crooks

4 months ago 7

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TRUMP fans shot during the failed assassination attempt on the former President may have been hit by the Secret Service.

Gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, tried to kill the president as he spoke during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

A police sniper then shot Crooks dead just moments after the wannabe assassin hit Trump in the ear.

His faithful dived to the ground during the horror attack as screams rang out around the field.

But, three innocent rally-goers were hit in the hail of bullets, leaving one man dead and two in a critical condition.

Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, died when he was shot protecting his daughters from the flying bullets.

Authorities do not yet know who fired the fatal bullets that cut the “hero’s” life short meaning it could have been the Secret Service or cops as they returned fire.

Corey’s sister said in a post: “The PA Trump Rally claimed the life of my brother, Corey Comperatore. The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most.”

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said: “I asked Corey’s wife if it would be okay for me to share that we spoke. She said ‘yes.’ She also asked that I share with all of you that Corey died a hero.

“Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally.”

The FBI is investigating whether the shooting was an act of terrorism, with Crooks’ phone being taken to the agency’s lab in Quantico, Virginia.

Crooks reportedly used an AR-style rifle to fire six to eight bullets at the president, CBS News reported.

There were also bomb-making materials found at his home during an investigation.

One local cop climbed on top of the roof during the shooting and saw Crooks, who then pointed his rifle at the officer, per the Associated Press.

The officer quickly backed down the ladder and the gunman then shot toward Trump, according to the outlet.

President Biden has also ordered an independent review of security at the rally and has directed the Secret Service to examine measures for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week.

In an Oval Office address, Biden said: “We must stand together.

“We do not know the motive of the shooter.”

But security experts have slammed the Secret Service for letting Crooks get onto the roof in the first place.

What we know so far:

A shooter opened fire at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, attempting to assassinate the former President
One audience member died and two others were critically injured as Trump was hit
Dramatic footage showed the moment Trump dived behind his podium as Secret Service rushed to protect him
Trump broke his silence with a statement describing the shooting after a bullet struck his ear
A hot microphone captured the moment Secret Service agents screamed “Get down!”
The shooter – identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks – was shot dead by Secret Service agents at the scene
A witness claims he warned police about a man with a rifle on a nearby roof minutes before the attack
President Joe Biden dubbed the shooting “sick,” and urged cool heads to prevail in a rare speech from inside the Oval Office

Jim Cavanaugh, a former Secret Service agent, told NBC News he was surprised that the shooter was able to occupy a viewpoint within shooting range of the rally.

He said: “Whenever I’ve been with them, every single high ground is taken by them or the local SWAT police… there’s nobody allowed walking on rooftops. They command the high ground.

“Having been on Secret Service details, it’s amazing to me that somebody was on an elevated position that they didn’t know about.”

Steve Nottingham, a former SWAT commander, said Saturday’s shooting was “a fundamental security failure.”

Nottingham said the Secret Service had failed in its pre-event scouting of the area and real-time monitoring of places where a gunman could be.

He said: “They were behind the curve, because they should have had those places covered ahead of time.”

‘EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES’

Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social after the shooting to share more about the moment he knew he was shot.

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote hours after the shooting.

“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.

“Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Members of Trump’s family as well as former presidents have condemned the shooting and offered their sympathy.

Former president Barack Obama said, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy” while President Joe Biden had a similar sentiment, saying, “We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”