Bodycam footage recently released shows the intense moments before Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who opened fire toward former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was shot dead by authorities. The incident occurred on July 13, 2024, when Crooks, armed with a rifle, positioned himself on a rooftop and fired into the crowd, injuring Trump and two bystanders, and tragically killing one person.
The footage captures a Butler Township Police officer spotting Crooks on the roof. The officer, with the help of a colleague, attempted to climb up to confront the gunman but had to retreat when Crooks pointed his rifle at him. The officer fell approximately eight feet to the ground, injuring his ankle, but managed to radio a warning to others about Crooks being armed. Unfortunately, this critical information never reached the Secret Service command center or those closest to Trump, due to communication failures between different law enforcement agencies.
By the time the officer returned with his gun, other officers had already surrounded Crooks’ body after he was fatally shot. The footage also reveals the frustration among law enforcement at the scene, with one officer expressing anger over the difficulty in locating and neutralizing the shooter.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of communication between different law enforcement bodies during high-security events. Acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe Jr. acknowledged the communication lapses, emphasizing the need for better coordination to prevent such failures in the future.
