A new video has emerged casting doubt on the timeline of events leading up to the shooting of former President Donald Trump at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The footage, recorded unintentionally by a vendor at the event, shows assailant Thomas Matthew Crooks strolling through merchandise stalls just hours before the shooting, conflicting with earlier reports of his whereabouts.
The footage, captured by Joe Tomko, owner of Iron Clad USA, at 4:26 p.m. on July 13, represents the earliest confirmed sighting of Crooks at the rally. This timing aligns perfectly with a message from a local police sniper who reported seeing a man believed to be Crooks sitting at a nearby picnic table. However, group texts among snipers from Beaver, Butler, and Washington County indicate that Crooks was observed in a different location around the same time.
Tomko told the Daily Mail that he was unaware he had captured Crooks on video until reviewing the footage a week later. “I was having breakfast with my parents and my father asked me if I ever looked through all my footage from that day,” Tomko told the outlet. “So I watched it all late in the evening and I just about jumped out of my skin [when I saw him], I was in such disbelief.” In the video, Crooks was by himself, dressed in the same outfit he had on when he was fatally shot by the Secret Service.
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Tomko noted that he reviewed the video for two days before submitting it to investigators and responding to their inquiries. He also highlighted that the vendor area was not secured, allowing unrestricted entry from the street. Attendees could walk through the booths before reaching a checkpoint with airport-style security to access the main rally area.
Meanwhile, James Woods, a sniper from Beaver County who had completed his shift, observed an individual matching Crooks’ description about 50 yards from an exit. At 4:26 pm, Woods texted his colleagues to report the suspicious person. Crooks, 20, vanished from view and did not reappear until just after 6:00 pm. At that point, Greg Nicol, another local sniper, saw Crooks running with a backpack. Nicol tried to follow him but lost sight of him as police arrived at the scene.
Video footage captured Crooks climbing onto the roof of a nearby building around 6:06 pm. Local police and Secret Service were alerted almost immediately, with a radio call at 6:09 pm reporting “someone on the roof with white shorts.” The situation escalated at 6:11 pm when Crooks, realizing he was trapped, began firing. He initially grazed Trump’s right ear as the former president turned away. Crooks fired a total of eight shots before a counter-sniper fatally shot him. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with authorities working to piece together Crooks’ movements and motivations.
Despite facing frequent bullying, Crooks excelled academically, earning an associate degree in engineering science just months before the shooting. He also worked as a dietary aide and had no known criminal record or mental health issues. The motives behind his actions remain unclear, and the FBI is continuing its investigation. Crooks’ internet search history before the assassination attempt included high-profile figures and violent events, suggesting a deliberate plan.
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