Authorities Alerted to Suspicious Activity Outside Trump Campaign Event Before Shooting: Sources
The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign event has sent shockwaves across the nation. Authorities outside the security perimeter of the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, were alerted to a man acting suspiciously before the shooting occurred. Local and state police immediately began searching for the potential suspect and eventually spotted the gunman on a rooftop. Despite efforts to engage the shooter, shots were fired targeting Trump.
In the ongoing investigation, FBI officials discovered suspicious devices in the car and home of the suspected shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks. These devices were described as rudimentary, and agents are working to determine their nature. Crooks, a recent high school graduate with no known history of mental illness, had his family cooperating with investigators.
As the nation grapples with this shocking event, President Joe Biden is set to deliver a “forceful and needed” address to the nation Sunday evening. The campaign has paused all outbound communications and is working to pull down television ads in response to the shooting. Biden’s campaign emphasized the importance of condemning political violence and uniting as a country to put an end to such acts.
Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, police addressed state gun laws ahead of the Republican National Convention, stating that local ordinances do not supersede state law in Wisconsin, an open carry state. Security officials have taken steps to ban certain items within the convention perimeter but do not have the authority to ban weapons in the outer perimeter.
The nation remains on edge as investigations continue and leaders call for unity and an end to political violence. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
