(Ken Silva, Headline USA) ABC News published an interview Monday with the Beaver County SWAT team involved in providing security for Donald Trump on the day he was nearly assassinated, reporting the identity of the sniper who first flagged the shooter’s suspicious behavior at the July 13 campaign rally.
The identity of that sniper, Greg Nicol, was first reported on July 15 by the local news site BeaverCountian, which cited unnamed law enforcement sources. The BeaverCountian previously revealed that Nicol shot himself last December—more on that below.
The identity of one of the local snipers to first spot alleged Trump shooter Thomas Crooks has been reported to be Beaver County SWAT sniper Greg Nicols — who shot himself on duty about 7 months ago
Here's what we know about Nicols
— Headline USA (@HeadlineUSA) July 29, 2024
ABC News is seemingly the first outlet to interview Nicol about the event.
According to ABC, Nicol was stationed on the second-floor post inside the AGR complex. That’s the location from where Butler County ESU counter snipers left their post to search for alleged shooter Thomas Crooks—leaving the rooftop wide open for him to take his shots. It’s still unclear why that massive security failure happened, but ABC at least told Nicol’s side of the story.
According to ABC, Nicol noticed an unattended bike and backpack believed to have belonged to Crooks. He also reportedly saw Crooks looking up and around, then pulling a rangefinder from his pocket.
The activity spotted by Nicol likely happened around 5:38 p.m., according to law enforcement text messages. Before that, another counter sniper who was working with Nicols spotted Crooks around 4:26 p.m. That other sniper hasn’t been publicly identified. The shooting occurred at 6:11 p.m.
“The first thing I did, I sent those pictures out, we had a text group between the local snipers that were on the scene. I sent those pictures out to that group and advised them of what I noticed and what I’d seen,” Nicol told ABC.
“There was a text back that said, ‘Call it into command.’ I then called into our to the command via radio. And they acknowledged,” he said.
“I assumed that there would be somebody coming out to—you know, to speak with this individual or, you know, find out what’s going on,” he added.
According to ABC, Nicol moved through the building trying to shadow Crooks, who was outside, and keep eyes on him. But Nicol reportedly lost sight of Crooks as the counter sniper made his way down to the building’s first level.
“Then, as the former president began speaking, Nicol noticed rallygoers looking away from the podium, up toward the roof of the AGR building. Some were shouting that there was someone up there,” ABC reported.
“That’s when I heard the gunshots,” Nicol told ABC.
ABC News also revealed that the Beaver County SWAT medic who found Crooks’s lifeless body on the rooftop was the counter sniper Nicol’s wife, Michel Vasiladiotis-Nicol.
Vasiladiotis-Nicol told ABC she put her gloved fingers to the shooter’s neck, and found that “he had absolutely no pulse.”
The July 13 Trump rally wasn’t the only shooting Nicol has been involved with over the last year. In fact, Nicol shot himself last December, according to the BeaverCountian.
“Police Sergeant Gregory Nicol was in his office at the Monaca Police Station on December 15 when he unholstered his duty weapon to show it to another officer. His firearm accidentally discharged in the process, in what is being described as a ‘freak accident,’” the BeaverCountian reported in January, citing two unnamed law enforcement sources.
“The round when through-and-through the officer’s leg, which was subsequently placed in a tourniquet. Nicol was transported to Heritage Valley Beaver where he was treated for soft tissue injuries and released. The officer missed a week-and-a-half of work before returning to full duty.
Headline USA also found that Nicol was sued in December 2005 for causing the wrong suspect to be arrested in a robbery investigation. In that case, Nicol admitted to confusing the identity of a woman, saying he made an honest mistake.
“Nicol received information that the female suspect involved in the armed robbery was Victoria Schaper. Ofc. Nicol received further information that Victor Schaper was an alias used by Victoria Reagan,” Nicol said in an affirmative defense he filed in March 2006.
“Believing that he had probable cause, Ofc. Nicol completed a Criminal Complaint Affidavit of Probable Cause which was approved by a judge and a warrant was issued. Upon learning that Victoria Reagan was not involved in the armed robbery, Ofc. Nicol immediately advised the District Attorney’s office and the criminal charges were withdrawn,” he said.
“At all time relevant, Ofc. Nicol acting with and pursuant to a bonafide good faith belief that his actions were lawful, privileged, justified and in keeping with his proper duties as a police officer.”
The lawsuit was dismissed the next month in April 2006.
Court records also suggest Nicol filed for bankruptcy in 2000, but those records aren’t available online.
According to his LinkedIn, Nicol’s interests include the Justice Department, Black Rifle Coffee and the non-profit organization FBI-LEEDA, which is an acronym for Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.
Nicol did not respond to a LinkedIn message from this reporter.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
