A video of the dialogue between Secret Service officials and police regarding the identification of suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks prior to the July 13 assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, who is running for president from the Republican Party, has emerged.
PHOTO SHARED
Leaks from a closed-door briefing given to Senate members by Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials on July 17 revealed that Crooks was walking around the square with a bag on his back an hour before Trump took the floor, drawing the attention of law enforcement while taking measurements with a rangefinder used on the golf course, and that his photo was shared among security units.
IMAGES ARE OUT
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley shared body camera footage of the incident, obtained by the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, on social media platform X.
The video includes dialogue between a local police officer and an official believed to be a member of the secret service, standing over the body on the roof of the building where Crooks was neutralized.
In the video, a local police officer turns his cellphone screen to a Secret Service officer, showing photos of Crooks taken by the sniper assigned to guard the rally area before the assassination attempt.
SECRET SERVICE CONFIRMS
The Secret Service member also points out the spot where the photos were taken and states to the police that he is aware of the photos and the situation.
Later, a member of the Secret Service confirms that the person whose photo was sent to them before the attack was Crooks, whose body was found on the ground.
Police say the sniper then lost track of Crooks, whose photograph he had taken earlier.
SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR RESIGNED
Following the shooting of former US President Trump during an election rally, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned yesterday.
Cheatle said, “I take full responsibility for the security breach. Following the events, I have made the difficult decision to resign.”
The US Secret Service has been criticized for having security lapses and not taking action in a timely manner following the assassination attempt against Trump.