A recently surfaced viral video has provided a chilling glimpse into the moments leading up to the tragic shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Filmed by James Copenhaver, one of the victims injured during the July 13 event, the video shows an individual running across the same roof from which Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots that killed one attendee and wounded three others, including Trump himself. The incident has raised numerous questions about security protocols and oversight, with many demanding answers as to how Crooks was able to access a clear line of sight to Trump during the event.
Fox News obtained the video, which is believed to have been filmed at 6:08 p.m., just three minutes before Crooks opened fire on Trump. Copenhaver, who was critically injured after being shot twice, is currently in a rehabilitation center and recovering from his injuries. According to attorney Joseph Feldman at the Law Offices of Max C. Feldman, Copenhaver “had almost seen or heard something whiz past him, which we’re assuming was a bullet.
This unearthed video adds to the growing list of unanswered questions surrounding the U.S. Secret Service’s response and actions on that fateful day. As the investigation into the shooting continues, many have questioned how Crooks was able to fly a drone in the area about two hours before the rally without raising any red flags and how Secret Service counter-snipers were unable to see Crooks on the other roof.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe recently testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee that the Secret Service was not aware of Crooks until it heard gunshots. He stated, “It is my understanding those personnel were not aware the assailant had a firearm until they heard gunshots.” This assertion raises further concerns about the effectiveness and thoroughness of the security measures in place during Trump’s rally.
Former U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle initially cited the “safety factor” of putting someone on a “sloped roof” as the reason for not covering that area during the event. During Rowe’s testimony, he refused to say who exactly had denied requests for more security from Trump’s security detail over the past two years.
As the investigation into this tragic shooting continues, many are calling for greater transparency and accountability from the U.S. Secret Service. With numerous questions remaining unanswered, it is crucial that those responsible for ensuring the safety of public figures like Trump be held to the highest standards of security protocols and oversight.