The Butler County Sheriff says police received information about a suspicious person outside a campaign event and went to investigate.
The former president Donald Trump’s suspected of attempted assassination Thomas Matthew Crooks pointed a gun at the local police, who found him on the roof of the house just before the shooting, sources from the AP news agency say.
The police retreated down the ladder, after which Crooks opened fire. Crooks was then fatally shot by the Secret Service.
Also the Sheriff of Butler County Michael Slupe The news channel basically confirms AP’s information for CNN.
Slube says that the police received information about a suspicious person outside the campaign event and went to investigate the matter. Initial information did not indicate that the suspicious person was armed.
According to Slube, the police soon found the suspect on the roof of the building. At this point, the police lifted another policeman onto the edge of the roof. When the shooter noticed the police, he turned towards him and pointed the gun. The police let go of the roof ledge to protect themselves and save their lives, says Slube. Immediately after this, the suspect started firing his gun towards the stage where Trump was performing.
Updated follow-up on the case here.