FBI identifies Trump rally shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks <--- Thread is about the perpetrator, the crime, and the motivation, not Trump

[RDKirk]

• 5:10 p.m. Crooks was first identified as a person of interest
• 5:30 p.m. Crooks was spotted with a rangefinder
• 5:52 p.m. Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service

• 6:02 p.m. Trump takes the stage
• 6:12 p.m. Crooks fires first shots

Secret Service spotted Trump rally shooter on roof 20 minutes before gunfire erupted

Twenty minutes passed between the time USSS snipers first spotted Crooks on the roof and the time shots were fired at the former president, new information shows.

abcnews.go.com

More specifically, sources told ABC News that there were local police personnel and counter-sniper units in the AGR building where Crooks eventually took up a position to fire at Trump, sources said. Investigators believe that could have led to confusion as Secret Service snipers were trying to determine whether there was a threat to Trump and where it might be coming from, according to the sources.

Secret Service counter snipers positioned on buildings close to the rally stage were aware the AGR building was being used as a staging area by law enforcement, sources said. Investigators believe that could have led to a delay in the Secret Service sharpshooters' reactions because they had to first figure out whether the suspect was a threat, sources said.

 

[RDKirk]

It took 20 minutes and only after he fired his rifle to make that determination?

• 5:52 p.m. Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service
• 6:02 p.m. Trump takes the stage
• 6:12 p.m. Crooks fires first shots

Obviously, it did.

We'll have to wait to see what the conversation was between the Secret Service and the police during that time. Don't presume that just the right people on one side were immediately talking to just the right people on the other side.

 

[iluvatar5150]

It took 20 minutes and only after he fired his rifle to make that determination?

• 5:52 p.m. Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service
• 6:02 p.m. Trump takes the stage
• 6:12 p.m. Crooks fires first shots

It would seem so. If there’s one spot where a guy laying on the roof with a rifle is going to draw the least amount of suspicion, it’s going to be the building where the SWAT snipers are holed up.

If that was deliberate (it probably wasn’t), it was brilliant.

 

[RDKirk]

It would seem so. If there’s one spot where a guy laying on the roof with a rifle is going to draw the least amount of suspicion, it’s going to be the building where the SWAT snipers are holed up.

If that was deliberate (it probably wasn’t), it was brilliant.

It's the building the local police "owned" for the day. I wouldn't be surprised if a Secret Service call to the building didn't create confusion among the police as they counted heads to figure out which one of them was on the roof.

 

[BPPLEE]

It's the building the local police "owned" for the day. I wouldn't be surprised if a Secret Service call to the building didn't create confusion among the police as they counted heads to figure out which one of them was on the roof.

The Secret Service owns it. Ultimately they are responsible.

 

[BPPLEE]

It would seem so. If there’s one spot where a guy laying on the roof with a rifle is going to draw the least amount of suspicion, it’s going to be the building where the SWAT snipers are holed up.

If that was deliberate (it probably wasn’t), it was brilliant.

Too many coincidences

 

[BPPLEE]

Obviously, it did.

We'll have to wait to see what the conversation was between the Secret Service and the police during that time. Don't presume that just the right people on one side were immediately talking to just the right people on the other side.

“Secret Service counter snipers positioned on buildings close to the rally stage were aware the AGR building was being used as a staging area by law enforcement, sources said. Investigators believe that could have led to a split-second delay in the Secret Service sharpshooters' reactions because they had to first figure out whether the suspect was a threat, sources said.”

20 minutes is not a split second

 

[Ana the Ist]

More information is coming out and it’s looking even worse for the Secret Service.

Is it?

 

[Ana the Ist]

“Secret Service counter snipers positioned on buildings close to the rally stage were aware the AGR building was being used as a staging area by law enforcement, sources said. Investigators believe that could have led to a split-second delay in the Secret Service sharpshooters' reactions because they had to first figure out whether the suspect was a threat, sources said.”

20 minutes is not a split second

He was in position for 20 minutes?

 

[Ana the Ist]

The statistical majority of households in American don't like Trump. If that's all it takes, there would be a lot more assassination attempts.

What more do you think is involved?

 

[Ana the Ist]

It's the building the local police "owned" for the day. I wouldn't be surprised if a Secret Service call to the building didn't create confusion among the police as they counted heads to figure out which one of them was on the roof.

Seems likely. It's all I can think of that would have prevented the Waffle SS from shooting once he presented a rifle.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Too many coincidences

Lol that's exactly 1 coincidence.

Edit- consider it this way...

If the local LEOs "own" the building (meaning they're responsible for it) and the Waffle SS (because they ate at IHOP that morning) aren't aware that the roof is accessible from climbing an AC unit attached to the far side...then they'd reasonably conclude that whomever is on top of the building is local LEO as he would have had to get past them to access the roof through a door.

 

[RDKirk]

The Secret Service owns it. Ultimately they are responsible.

The local police was in occupation of that building, not the Secret Service. Sure, the Secret Service was in overall authority of the job of protecting the candidate, but let's not pretend the local police are children who can't be held accountable for the responsibility they were assigned.

 

[RDKirk]

What more do you think is involved?

No more than is involved with school shooters, who seldom "hate" the specific individuals they shoot.

 

[Ana the Ist]

No more than is involved with school shooters, who seldom "hate" the specific individuals they shoot.

Uh huh....

I take it you don't think this was politically motivated then?

 

[BPPLEE]

Lol that's exactly 1 coincidence.

Edit- consider it this way...

If the local LEOs "own" the building (meaning they're responsible for it) and the Waffle SS (because they ate at IHOP that morning) aren't aware that the roof is accessible from climbing an AC unit attached to the far side...then they'd reasonably conclude that whomever is on top of the building is local LEO as he would have had to get past them to access the roof through a door.

Seems like in 20 minutes they could have made contact with the local LEOs and determined that it was not a LEO on the roof.
Seems like if there was any doubt whatsoever that the Secret Service would have delayed Trump from coming out.

 

[BPPLEE]

He was in position for 20 minutes?

It took 20 minutes and only after he fired his rifle to make that determination

• 5:52 p.m. Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service
• 6:02 p.m. Trump takes the stage
• 6:12 p.m. Crooks fires first shots

 

[BPPLEE]

Lol that's exactly 1 coincidence.

Edit- consider it this way...

If the local LEOs "own" the building (meaning they're responsible for it) and the Waffle SS (because they ate at IHOP that morning) aren't aware that the roof is accessible from climbing an AC unit attached to the far side...then they'd reasonably conclude that whomever is on top of the building is local LEO as he would have had to get past them to access the roof through a door.

Crooks just picked that building by blind luck.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Seems like in 20 minutes they could have made contact with the local LEOs and determined that it was not a LEO on the roof.

That depends on the LEOs knowing all their positions at the time.

Seems like if there was any doubt whatsoever that the Secret Service would have delayed Trump from coming out.

Seems like....sure.

 

[BPPLEE]

Seems likely. It's all I can think of that would have prevented the Waffle SS from shooting once he presented a rifle.

They had 20 minutes to figure this out