Local officer fired shot at Trump shooter, Butler DA confirms

The investigation continues into the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler County on Saturday.

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt shortly after he began speaking.

One attendee, a former fire chief, was killed and two others were injured. The gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was also killed.

It was the first assassination attempt made on a sitting president or presidential candidate since 1981. Investigators are still working to determine a motive behind the shooting.

We continue our coverage of this developing story. Stay with Channel 11 and WPXI.com for the latest updates:

Update 9:08 p.m. Wednesday:

A local police sniper fired a shot at Crooks, Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger confirms. Goldinger said that it’s his understanding the shot that killed Crooks was fired by the Secret Service.

The local officer is now on administrative leave, which is standard protocol, the DA confirmed.

Update 3:50 p.m. Wednesday:

Several Butler County law enforcement officials have been requested to appear in front of a House committee looking into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green invited Col. Christopher L. Paris, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police; Sheriff Michael T. Slupe of the Butler County, Sheriff’s Department; and Lt. Matthew Pearson of the Butler Township Police Department.

The committee hopes these law enforcement officials will be able to provide more answers about events surrounding the shooting.

A statement from Green reads:

“As we continue to gather all the facts about the cowardly attempt on President Trump’s life on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, the accounts and experiences of state and local law enforcement professionals with direct knowledge of these events will be critical. Our goal is to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again, and I very much look forward to working with these officials in order to accomplish that critical objective. And as always, the Committee remains deeply grateful for the service of the men and women of state and local law enforcement.”

Update 2:35 p.m. Wednesday:

The Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has issued a subpoena to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear at the first congressional hearing into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the AP reports.

Click here to learn more.

Update 8:49 a.m. Wednesday:

The Department of Homeland Security inspector general has opened up an investigation into the U.S. Secret Service’s handling of security for Trump on the day of his assassination attempt in Butler County.

In a brief notice posted to the inspector general’s website, the agency said the objective of the probe is to “Evaluate the United States Secret Service’s (Secret Service) process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”

There was no date given for when the investigation was launched. The notice was among a long list of ongoing cases that the inspector general’s office is pursuing.

The Associated Press contributed to this.

Update 7:45 a.m. Wednesday:

The AP is reporting that a threat from Iran on Trump’s life prompted additional security in the days leading up to the rally, but that it was unrelated to the assassination attempt.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said there have been no ties identified between the gunman at the rally “and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic.”

Law enforcement warned of the potential for more violence inspired by the shooting, according to AP.

Update 8 p.m. Tuesday:

Funeral, visitation arrangements announced for father, former fire chief killed at Trump rally

Funeral, visitation arrangements announced for father, former fire chief killed at Trump rally

The man killed at the rally for former President Donald Trump will be remembered with a celebration of life this week.

Friends are invited to pay their respects and remember Corey Comperatore’s life in Freeport.

A public visitation service will be held on Thursday. Friday’s funeral service is private, only family and friends can attend.

The procession is expected to be massive with potentially 500 fire trucks.

Comperatore is being remembered as a father, friend, comrade and former fire chief who chose to leave the Buffalo Township Fire Department to spend more time with his family.

Update 6:34 p.m. Tuesday:

Pittsburgh motorcycle officers transferred after working Trump rally

11 Investigates Exclusive: Pittsburgh motorcycle officers transferred after working Trump rally

11 Investigates has learned exclusively that two Pittsburgh police motorcycle officers who were injured during the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally over the weekend have been removed from the cycle unit.

That decision has sparked controversy and disagreement inside the department.

Sources told Chief Investigator Rick Earle that those cycle officers were asked to assist with the Former President’s motorcade to that rally in Butler County on Saturday.

According to Earle’s sources, the officers claim they notified the proper personnel with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and received authorization to help, but according to the same sources, the bureau said they didn’t get permission.

Update 6:00 p.m. Tuesday:

School counselor of Trump shooter remembers him as ‘quiet young man’

‘Sent chills down my spine’: School counselor of Trump shooter remembers him as ‘quiet young man’

Former Bethel Park guidance counselor Jim Knapp retired in 2022 and found out the news Sunday morning when he received a call from the school principal.

“Hearing Thomas’s name sent chills down my spine,” Knapp said.

In an interview with Channel 11′s Cara Sapida, he asked how he would describe Thomas.

“Quiet! Very quiet young man. He was the type of person you pretty much knew he wanted to be by himself,” Knapp explained.

There have been differing reports about Thomas being bullied. Bethel Park school district said they don’t have any reports of it. Community members have argued that oftentimes bullying goes unreported. Knapp said many times reports come in through the school’s anonymous tipline.

Knapps says those would be in student files, and there were none.

“Yes ma’am, that would have been reported and placed in the computer, the notes would have been taken and we’d have been responsible for letting the appropriate people know,” Knapp said.”I really want to go out and say that this young man... Something happened, mental health kicked in... something evil happened in this world and he snapped and whatever occurred, occurred. Bethel Park has always taken the proactive approach towards bullying and mental health.”

Jim said he initially wasn’t going to speak out, but felt it was important to share what he did remember from his time as Thomas’s counselor.

“I wish I could say more... we feel for the families affected,” he said.

Update 6:00 p.m. Tuesday:

Channel 11′s Nicole Ford spoke with Butler Memorial Hospital leaders, who said they were ready and prepared as they locked down the hospital for hours when Trump was rushed there after being grazed by a bullet.

“So proud of the staff back there and they are so proud that we were the place that they brought the former president to,” said Karen Allen, President of Butler Memorial Hospital.

Butler Memorial Hospital leaders praise staff for response when Trump was brought there

It was all hands on deck during a shift change at the hospital.

The top leaders of the hospital are proud of the work at their facility, telling Ford they prepare all the time for high profile patients with the Secret Service checking out their security plan not long ago.

“Secret Service were here, checked out the hospital. That was about six months ago they came through. So there was a plan for what room he would go into if he needed to go into a room. How we would handle his information, etc.”

Update 5:45 p.m. Tuesday:

WPXI exclusive photos show cell phone, transmitter found next to Trump shooter’s body

WPXI exclusive photos show cell phone, transmitter found next to Trump shooter’s body

Channel 11 News exclusively confirmed Tuesday that Crooks was spotted by police hanging around the American Glass Research complex more than an hour before the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.

Channel 11′s Nicole Ford also obtained exclusive photos showing a cell phone and transmitter device found next to Crooks moments after a Secret Service sniper shot and killed him. On Monday, Ford reported pictures of Crooks had been taken by local police at least 26 minutes before shots were fired and sent up the command chain.

On Tuesday, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed with Ford that Crooks was also spotted by police with a range finder.

According to multiple sources, when former president Trump took the stage Saturday, Crooks was still on the ground and had not yet climbed the roof of the building. Channel 11 news can also confirm that Crooks was on the roof with a gun for fewer than seven minutes when first confronted by a Butler Township police officer.

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