On July 13, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a police officer within a tactical team assigned to former President Trump reported no interactions with the U.S. Secret Service ahead of the shooting incident involving Trump.
“We were meant to receive a face-to-face briefing with the Secret Service agents upon their arrival,” said Jason Woods, the lead sharpshooter of the Beaver County team, in an interview with ABC News. “Unfortunately, that briefing never occurred.”
Woods indicated that the absence of communication was likely a significant factor in the planning failures that led to 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks inflicting wounds on Trump, resulting in the death of spectator Corey Compartore and injury to two others before a Secret Service sniper fatally shot him.
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Donald Trump, with blood on his face, is surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is removed from the stage during the July 13, 2024 event in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
“This lack of communication marked a pivotal moment, prompting me to realize something was amiss,” he added. “We had no dialogue.”
Following the assassination attempt, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has stepped down, and several law enforcement and congressional investigations have been initiated.
Woods shared with ABC News that he and his team were in position hours prior to Trump’s appearance at the Butler Farm Show, but the first contact with the Secret Service only occurred “after the shooting.” At that point, he stated, it was “too late.”
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Former President Trump reacts to gunfire during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
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A sniper from Beaver County took photographs of Crooks and alerted command about his dubious presence; however, the 20-year-old assailant managed to secure a position on the rooftop of the venue, as reported by ABC.
Simultaneously, Trump’s Secret Service team and senior advisors questioned why they weren’t informed about local law enforcement spotting a suspicious individual who was later identified as the would-be assassin.
According to the Washington Post, Trump’s advisors mistook the sound of gunshots, which they heard from a large white tent positioned behind the stage, for fireworks.
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A Beaver County Emergency Services officer presents information on his phone to a Secret Service member following the discovery of Thomas Crooks’ body. (Beaver County ESU obtained by Sen. Grassley)
Two unnamed advisors expressed confusion over the failure to relay the alert, which could have prompted them to consider postponing Trump’s speech—an opinion echoed by the Republican nominee in a Fox News interview.
“No one notified us. There was no mention of any issues,” the former president asserted during an interview with Fox News’ Jesse Watters on Monday. “They could have advised a wait of 15, 20, or even five minutes. Nobody suggested that—clearly, a mistake was made.”
Thomas Matthew Crooks is depicted outside the Butler Fairgrounds shortly after the attempted assassination of former President Trump on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Bethel Park School District/Getty Images)
Beaver County Chief Detective Patrick Young, overseeing the Emergency Services Unit and SWAT team, remarked that the group “executed all possible measures that day.”
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“In SWAT, we often emphasize that our individual contributions mean nothing unless we unite as a cohesive unit,” Young stated.
