OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:52 PM – Monday, July 29, 2024
Surfaced text messages have revealed that authorities were aware of Donald Trump’s would-be assassin at least over an hour before the shooting.
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A text message exchange between Beaver County Emergency Service Unit officers provides a glimpse into the lack of concern for security and poor communications between local law enforcement and the Secret Service.
The first text message in the chain came in at 4:26 p.m. from a local counter sniper alerting other higher-up security personnel that he saw someone suspicious. This “suspicious”-looking individual would later be identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, the failed Trump assassin.
“Someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know,” he wrote. “I’m just letting you know because you see me go out with my rifle and put it in my car so he knows you guys are up there sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit,” he continued.
A minute after, at 4:27 p.m., one officer responded to that text message with a thumbs up reaction, indicating that he was paying attention to the suspicious person. Additionally, another officer responded by saying “roger that” at 4:39 p.m.
At 5:38 p.m., nearly thirty minutes before the shooting took place, an officer in the group text chain even sent a picture of Crooks outside of the building that the officer was in.
“Kid [leering] around building we are in. AGR I believe it is. I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him. Also a bike with backpack sitting next to it in rear of building that was not seen earlier,” he stated.
Just a few minutes later, another officer replied: “Call it in to command and have a uniform check it out.”
By 6:09 p.m., Crooks was also spotted on the roof by rally-goers who became concerned and alerted nearby police officers. Just a few moments later, Crooks then began firing at Trump, nearly killing the former president.
The aftermath of the gunfire resulted in the death of retired firefighter Corey Comperatore, 50, as well as two others injured.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has also taken heat from the families of the victims of the shooting after questioning whether Trump was actually struck by a bullet.
“FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress yesterday that he wasn’t sure if I was hit by shrapnel, glass, or a bullet (the FBI never even checked!), but he was sure that Crooked Joe Biden was physically and cognitively ‘uneventful’ – Wrong!” proclaimed Trump on Truth Social.
The FBI has since confirmed that it was in fact a bullet that struck Trump in the ear.
“What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle,” the agency stated.
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