Horrifying video shows would-be assassin open fire on former President Trump from rooftop
Horrifying video captured the moment a would-be assassin opened fire on former President Donald Trump from a rooftop during an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday — before Secret Service snipers killed him seconds later.
Video obtained by TMZ shows the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, decked out in gray and laying on his belly while taking aim and firing at the former president from a rooftop about 130 yards away from his rally in Butler, just outside of Pittsburgh.
The gunman fired at least five to seven shots at the former president before he was killed, according to law enforcement sources.
Onlookers below can be heard screaming and panicking as they watch Crooks take fire, according to TMZ.
Bullets start to ring out and people continue to scream as Secret Service snipers can be heard returning gunfire, according to the outlet.
The video quickly changes focus as the gunman, who can later be seen blurred out, is killed by federal agents.
Michael Difrischia, who took the video, told TMZ, he and his wife, Amber, were amongst about 30 to 40 people watching the rally from outside when Amber noticed the gunman allegedly climbing onto a nearby building located about 130 yards from Trump’s rally stage.
Everything we know about the Trump assassination attempt
- 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks was identified as the shooter who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
- Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service agents.
- The gunman grazed Trump’s ear, killed a 50-year-old retired fire chief, and injured two other rally-goers.
- Investigators detailed Crooks’ search history to lawmakers, revealing that he looked for the dates of Trump’s appearances and the Democratic National Convention.
- Crooks’ search history also revealed a broad interest in high-profile people and celebrities, regardless of their political affiliation, FBI officials reportedly said.
- Trump exclusively recounted surviving the “surreal” assassination attempt with The Post at the rally, remarking, “I’m supposed to be dead.”
- High-profile politicians, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, addressed the nation about the shooting, calling it “a heinous, horrible and cowardly act.”
Crooks apparently shimmied up on top of the building and army crawled into his final position with a rifle in hand to line up for the shot as people below attempted to flag nearby police officers to the situation, according to the outlet.
He eventually fired and was almost instantaneously met with gunfire in return.
Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pa., squeezed off shots, including one that grazed Trump in the ear and one that killed a rally-attendee and seriously injured another, police said.
Secret Service agents jumped into action to rush a bleeding Trump offstage immediately after he was struck. Crooks was quickly taken out by Secret Service snipers, police added.
Here’s the latest on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump:
Would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks visited gun range dozens of times — including Christmas — for ‘intense preparation’- Newly surfaced texts show Trump rally gunman was on authorities’ radar more than 90 minutes before shooting: report
- FBI to conduct victim interview with Donald Trump after assassination attempt
- Ex-Trump doc says FBI’s Wray is ‘wrong’ to doubt ex-prez was struck by bullet: ‘Absolutely no evidence’
- Trump defends female Secret Service agent who was criticized after assassination attempt: ‘So brave’
An AR-style rifle was later recovered.
Bethel Park is a village 40 miles south of where the rally was held. According to voter status records, Crooks was a registered Republican.
Why Crooks fired at the presumptive GOP presidential nominee is unclear.
FBI Officials also said it was too early to say if the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was a “lone wolf’ situation.
