BUTLER, Pa. — Thomas Crooks was spotted by police hanging around the American Glass Research complex more than an hour before the assassination attempt of Donald Trump, our sister station WPXI in Pittsburgh exclusively confirmed Tuesday.
As reported on News Center 7 at 6, multiple law enforcement sources described the security operation in detail Tuesday, directly contradicting public statements from the U.S. Secret Service Director.
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According to law enforcement sources in multiple counties in western Pennsylvania, there were two sniper teams set up near the building where Thomas Crooks fired from Saturday evening.
However, in direct contrast to comments made by Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, there were no local police in the same building where Crooks made it on the roof.
WPXI’s Nicole Ford also obtained exclusive photos showing the 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 spotted by police with a range finder before that second photo was taken.
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.
Crooks was only on the roof with a gun for fewer than 7 minutes when confronted by a Butler Township police officer, WPXI confirmed.
We will continue to follow this story.
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