(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Leaked text messages from local counter snipers show that Trump shooter Thomas Crooks was identified by 4:26 p.m.—more than 100 minutes before he opened fire on Trump and other attendees of the July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The text messages were released by Sen. Chuck Grassley to the New York Times, and they purportedly come from the same Butler County ESU counter snipers who left their post to search for Crooks—leaving the rooftop wide open for him to take his shots. The texts are redacted to hide the names of the counter snipers. It’s not clear who redacted them.
Sen. Grassley released these Butler ESU counter sniper texts about the Trump shooting, but he gave them to NYT and someone redacted their names and other info.
In a high-profile case like this we absolutely need to know their names. NYT doesn't address this at all, unacceptable pic.twitter.com/dJBSPogTD9— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) July 29, 2024
At 4:26 p.m. on July 13, one of the local counter snipers warned his two colleagues about Crooks as the sniper was ending his shift and leaving the rally.
“Someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know. 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 he’s sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit,” the counter sniper told his two colleagues inside the AGR building.
More than 40 minutes later, the remaining two Butler ESU counter snipers saw Crooks again, this time right beneath him. It was at this point when they photographed Crooks and let the Secret Service know about him.
“Kid [lurking] 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,” a counter sniper texted at 5:38 p.m., attaching two photos of Crooks.
“Call it in to command and have a uniform check it out.”
What happened between the time of those texts and when Crooks opened fire at 6:11 p.m. is still unclear. Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Christopher L. Paris told Congress last week that the two counter snipers left their post to search for Crooks, while other reports have claimed that only one counter sniper left.
“I was told they began searching with local officers after Crooks had been identified as suspicious by them,” Paris said at last week’s congressional hearing.
It’s not clear what, if any, agency ordered the local counter snipers away from their posts. Paris said he didn’t know the answer to that question.
Lawmakers will have a chance to ask more questions about the incident Tuesday at a joint Senate hearing, where FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate and Secret Service Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe are set to testify.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
