BUTLER, Pa. — The Secret Service identified the rooftop where the gunman allegedly shot former President Donald Trump as a potential vulnerability in the days before the event. That’s according to NBC News sources.
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That rooftop is just about 150 yards from the stage where the former President was speaking.
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The Sheriff in Butler County, PA, says local officers made contact with the gunman on the roof before shots were fired.
“The officer got lifted up to the roof and when eye contact was made, my understanding is the shooter turned toward the officer and the officer dropped his grip and fell to the ground at that point,” Sheriff Michael Slupe said.
He added that shortly thereafter, the shooter began firing his rifle.
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We’re also hearing from Chief Jeff James, a former member of the Secret Service and current Police Chief at Robert Morris University.
He says law enforcement did so much right, yet he believes the shooter was hiding in plain sight. In his career, Chief James says large, outdoor events were the hardest to cover because there are so many unknowns. He says Secret Service snipers have to analyze a distance of one thousand yards from all angles.
“They’re looking at - from where the shooter was - 10 times further,” Chief James tells Channel 11. “It’s a significant amount of space with buildings, windows, trees ...”
Chief James added that in his experience, shooters often visit the area they want to target ahead of time, doing their own surveillance. He believes that was likely the case with Thomas Crooks.
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