The Pennsylvania man who tried to assassinate former President Trump on Saturday climbed into an air conditioning unit to gain access to a rooftop shooting range, according to reports.
Suspect Thomas Crooks, 20, repeatedly fired an AR rifle believed to belong to his father during a rally in Butler on Saturday, striking Trump in the ear and killing a rally-goer. ABC News reported.
Authorities said the troubled loner had purchased a ladder from a local Home Depot before the shooting but did not use it to climb the building, about 150 yards from where Trump spoke.
Instead, he climbed to the top of the building using an air conditioning unit adjacent to the building as a foothold.
Critics have questioned how Crooks was able to stand so close to Trump despite the presence of local police and Secret Service agents.
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Suspect Thomas Matthews Crooks (pictured above), a Bethel Park High School graduate, opened fire on former President Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. (Google Maps/Handouts/Wire)
The gunman fired several shots before being shot dead on the roof.
Police also said Tuesday that a remote transmitter was found in Crooks’ pocket that had been placed to detonate devices in his car and home, according to the report.
The improvised bomb did not detonate and authorities are still assessing its purpose and the extent of the damage.
Crooks also had a tactical vest in the vehicle but did not put it on before climbing onto the roof.
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The illustration shows a bird’s-eye view of a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the perspective of an alleged assassination plotter. (Fox News)
Before carrying out the assassination attempt, Crooks reportedly told his employer he had requested time off work on Saturday and would return on Sunday.
Despite that pledge, some officials speculate that Crooks may not have expected to survive the mission that ended in death.
Crooks’ phone and social media activity are being investigated, but authorities say they have not yet determined a motive for the attack.
Crooks, who was allegedly bullied in high school, was a registered Republican but donated to progressive political groups in 2021.
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After the U.S. Secret Service returned fire during the assassination attempt on former President Trump, authorities approached the suspected shooter from the spot where he fell. (Source: Fox News Digital)
Trump, whose ear was grazed by Crooks’ bullet, clutched the side of his head as rally attendees looked on in shock.
Volunteer Fire Chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was shot in the chaos and later died.
US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle told ABC News that local police were providing security at the building Crooks climbed into and were inside when he opened fire.
“In this case, we shared support for that particular location, with the Secret Service being responsible for the inner perimeter,” Cheatle said, “and we asked our local counterparts for assistance with the outer perimeter.”
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Pennsylvania State Police said it was “not responsible for security of the building or grounds” and claimed up to 40 officers were on scene.
