Butler, Pennsylvania – Text messages reveal that police surveilling former President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania spotted the would-be assassin and reported him to colleagues as suspicious at least 90 minutes before the shooting.
Messages obtained by Fox News Digital from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and from the Beaver County Emergency Services Division show that officers flagged down 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks but did not approach him after they were spotted using a rangefinder.
The first screenshot is from a group chat of Beaver ESU officers, and the second is from a Beaver County sniper who finished his shift around 4:30 p.m., about an hour and a half before Trump took the stage. The New York Times I first reported the screenshot of the text.
Trump shooting: Timeline of assassination attempt raises questions about how gunman escaped security
An undated file photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks is the alleged gunman behind the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Source: Fox News Digital)
The text messages revealed that a local sniper had spotted the shooter earlier than previously known. (Fox News)
At about 4:36 p.m., one of the officers texted in the group chat that his shift was ending and warned them that a man, later identified as Crooks, was parked near their vehicle.
“Someone snuck in after us and parked next to our car,” a text message from the officer read.
The message, obtained by Fox News Digital from Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, provided an updated timeline of when police first found suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks and included a photo of Crooks. (Fox News)
Subsequent messages said Crooks was sitting at a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit from the rally.
Two other counter snipers responded with thumbs up emojis and wrote, “Got it.”
About 45 minutes later, at 5:10pm, officers warned that Crooks was on the move and was located near the American Glass International (AGR) building. Crooks then perched on the roof of the AGR building, intending to target the former president.
Text messages revealed that police had been circulating a photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks. (Fox News)
Screenshots of text messages between local law enforcement officials. (Fox News)
While Crooks waited, an officer took a photo of the 20-year-old suspect.
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The photo showed Crooks leaning against the AGR building with his trademark greasy shoulder-length hair and a grey T-shirt.
“Kid walking around the building we’re in,” the officer wrote in a text message along with a photo of Crooks. “I think it’s AGR. Saw him with a rangefinder looking towards the stage. FYI. If you want to let SS snipers know to be on the lookout.”
“I lost sight of him,” the officer added.
The next message said: “Notify command and have a uniformed officer check in.”
Police officers stand near the body of attempted assassin Thomas Crooks of President Donald Trump, Saturday, July 13, 2024. The gunman killed at least one person and wounded the former president in the assassination attempt. (Todd the Driller)
Newly discovered documents show that authorities knew about a suspicious person, later identified as Crooks, about 90 minutes before the shooting, updating a previously known time frame of about 60 minutes.
By 6:11 p.m., about an hour after the last text message was sent, the “boy” was shot and killed by a counter-shooter after firing at protesters.
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump kisses Cory Comperatore’s helmet during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Matt Luke)
James Copenhaver and David Duch were shot and wounded at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Allegheny Health Network)
President Trump was shot in the ear and three other rally attendees were shot, including Corey Comperatore, 50, who died while trying to protect his family from harm.
David Duch and James Copenhaver were shot and injured at the rally, with Copenhaver recently being released from hospital on Friday.
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Dutch was released from the hospital on Wednesday, July 24th.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Secret Service for comment.
