Corey Comperatore ID’d as Man Killed at Trump Rally Shooting

Editor 5
-
0
Corey Comperatore ID’d as Man Killed at Trump Rally Shooting

(Christen Smith, The Center Square) – Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old man from Buffalo Township, Pa., died after a gunman opened fire during a rally for President Donald Trump on Saturday evening.

The former volunteer fire chief and father of two dove on his family to protect them from the bullets, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro. The governor said he spoke with Comperatore’s wife before a news conference in Butler County on Sunday.

Shapiro described Comperatore as a “girl dad” who attended church every Sunday and loved his community and family. He was also an avid Trump supporter and “was so excited to be there with him last night.”

“Corey was the very best of us,“ Shapiro said. “May his memory be a blessing.”

The governor declined to answer questions about the ongoing investigation into the 20-year-old man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump as the former president spoke to a crowd gathered at the Butler Farm Show Grounds, north of Pittsburgh, on Saturday evening.

The suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired several shots, grazing the former president’s ear. Two additional victims sustained critical injuries.

“Last night was shocking for this community, for this commonwealth and I know for this country,“ Shapiro said. “Political disagreements can never ever be addressed through violence. Disagreements are okay, but we need to use a peaceful political process to settle those differences.”

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump credited “God alone“ for preventing “the unthinkable from happening.“ He also expressed support for Comperatore and the two other victims wounded during the assassination attempt. 

“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families,“ Trump wrote. “We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”

The attack occurred just two days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where GOP delegates will formally designate Trump as their presidential candidate to take on President Joe Biden in November. The Trump campaign said Saturday that the former president still plans to attend. 

Dan McCaleb and Cole Lauterbach contributed to this report.

Trump Calls for Unity, Vows to Move Forward Morning After Attempted Assassination

Editor 5
-
0
Trump Calls for Unity, Vows to Move Forward Morning After Attempted Assassination

(Dan McCaleb, The Center Square) President Donald Trump said Sunday morning that it was “God alone who prevented” his death after he survived a Saturday evening assassination attempt at a campaign rally north of Pittsburgh.

Writing on his Truth Social media account, Trump said that the country should “stand united” and not allow evil to win.

“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Trump wrote. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.”

“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families,” Trump wrote. “We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”

Trump said despite the attack, he plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, where he will formally accept the GOP nomination to run for president against President Joe Biden.

“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win,” he wrote. “I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”

Members of the U.S. Secret Service killed the shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks was staged on a nearby rooftop outside of the event.

After the attempted assassination, U.S. House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said he would call the U.S. Secret Service director to appear for a hearing before Congress to determine how the shooter was able to fire shots that could have killed the former president.

Robert Kennedy Jr., who’s running for president as an independent, and who’s uncle, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963, said, “Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence, and unite in prayer for President Trump and his family.”

Secret Service Taking Heat for Letting Trump Shooter Fire First

Ken Silva
-
0
Secret Service Taking Heat for Letting Trump Shooter Fire First

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Following Saturday’s shocking assassination attempt against presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, a video is circulating of a Secret Service sniper seemingly holding his fire until after the shooter fired several times.

The footage has already resulted in theories that the Trump assassination attempt may have been an inside job. But according to reporter RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree, it’s the Secret Service’s standard operating procedure to allow a shooter to fire first.

“A source within the Secret Service community tells RealClearPolitics that the agency rules of engagement in this situation are to wait until the president is fired upon to return fire,” Crabtree said on Twitter.

“The Secret Service protocol requires that a counter sniper aware of a potential shooter to radio directly to intelligence division team to respond and investigate. In this case, the investigation may have been cut short by the shooter firing his weapon, so the counter sniper then fired as quickly as possible in return.”

Crabtree’s Secret Service source reportedly said the agency’s policy is designed to prevent fatal misunderstandings.

“You want to take a shot then find out the guy was holding a telescope?” the source suggested. “The Secret Service is by nature reactive…and you better be right when you do react or you’re f—–d.”

Congress is now investigating the Secret Service over the matter.

Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas early Sunday morning, demanding to see the Secret Service’s rules of engagement. Secret Service is housed within the DHS.

“According to the USSS, the shooter ‘fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.’ This raises serious concerns regarding how a shooter was able to access a rooftop within range and direct line of sight of where President Trump was speaking,” Green told Mayorkas.

“Additionally, some reporting, suggests that the Department of Homeland Security (Department) ‘rebuffed’ multiple requests from President Trump’s security detail to increase protective resources in the weeks preceding this event.”

Green seeks information from the DHS by this Friday.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Report: Explosives Found in Car of Suspected Trump Shooter

Ken Silva
-
0
Report: Explosives Found in Car of Suspected Trump Shooter

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The Wall Street Journal has reported that law enforcement found explosives in the car of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who’s suspected of being the gunman who tried assassinating presidential frontrunner Donald Trump.

Crooks’s car was reportedly parked near the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

According to WSJ, police received multiple reports of suspicious packages around the shooter’s vicinity, prompting them to dispatch bomb technicians.

Officials reportedly worked well into the night to secure the crime scene before searching Crooks’ family home.

Crooks appeared to live with his parents, Matt and Mary Crooks, and may have had an older sister, Katherine, according to online records. The parents are reportedly “professional counselors.”

An AR-style rifle, purchased by the gunman’s father, was found at his home, according to the Journal.

Many of the details about Crooks and his possible motives remained unclear. But Headline USA was able to verify according to records at the Federal Election Commission, that Crooks was previously donated money to a radical leftist organization, the Progressive Turnout Project, in 2021.

Trump was escorted off the stage pumping his fist to signal to the crowd that he was OK but with blood visibly over his right ear, which he had grabbed before dropping to the ground as a series of percussive noises like shots sounded and smoke was reported as well.

The FBI and Secret Service are reportedly investigating the incident.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Failed Trump Assassin IDed as Democrat Donor, Possible BlackRock Ties

Ben Sellers
-
0
Failed Trump Assassin IDed as Democrat Donor, Possible BlackRock Ties

Editor’s note: This article contains graphic images that may be unsuitable for some audiences.

(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) The FBI identified the failed assassin of former President Donald Trump as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa.

Crooks appeared to live with his parents, Matt and Mary Crooks, and may have had an older sister, Katherine, according to online records. Attempts Sunday morning to reach the number listed as the family’s home phone were unsuccessful, and the mailbox was full.

However, CNN reportedly reached Crooks’s father late Saturday, who said he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” and would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.

Many of the details about Crooks and his possible motives remained unclear. But Headline USA was able to verify according to records at the Federal Election Commission, that Crooks was previously donated money to a radical leftist organization, the Progressive Turnout Project, in 2021. He was also a registered Republican.

Although he used the notorious left-wing aggregator site ActBlue, which many dark-money billionaires and foreign nationals are suspected of abusing to hide illegal campaign donations, Crooks—who was 18 at the time—earmarked his $15 donation specifically for the PTP.

Thomas Crooks 2021 filing with the Federal Election Commission
Thomas Crooks 2021 filing with the Federal Election Commission

A review of the Progressive Turnout Project’s website revealed that the Illinois-based organization included several radical messages that might, in hindsight, be construed as endorsing violence against Trump, including an entire initiative called Stop Republicans.

In a post from 10 a.m. on the day of the assassination attempt, PTP put up a quotation from President Joe Biden saying that “Donald Trump will destroy democracy.”

Other attacks on Trump pushed abjectly and demonstrably false claims that Biden also has promoted in the past, including the bogus claim, suspected to be from former Trump chief of staff John Kelly, that he called veterans “suckers and losers” while on a D-Day visit to France.

Multiple other witnesses have disputed the allegation, which ran anonymously in The Atlantic ahead of the 2020 election.

Headline USA reached out to PTP President Alex Morgan and founder Harry Pascal via email to inquire whether they accepted any culpability for the violent rhetoric, which led to the death of one man in the audience after the bullet appeared to nearly miss Trump, grazing his ear.

The abundance of video footage and witnesses led to a flood of information Saturday on social media following the attack, which occurred at roughly 6:15 p.m.

Several eyewitnesses reported seeing Crooks crawling on the roof of a building outside the perimeter of the Butler, Pa., rally, including at least one man who told the BBC he desperately tried to alert authorities but was ignored.

Footage also showed a sniper with a clear line on Crooks in the seconds before he fired appearing to delay his reaction, which has fueled some criticism, as well as a few conspiracy theories.

Trump adviser Roger Stone also posted an alternative identity of the alleged shooter, prior to official confirmation, which more closely resembled the photo of the dead man than photos of Crooks, who appeared to have different colored hair.

Meanwhile, Laura Loomer, a conservative activist and journalist, suggested that Crooks had previously been featured in a commercial for the woke investment firm BlackRock while in high school.

Headline USA was unable to independently confirm.

Correction: A photo posted with the original version of this article may have misidentified Crooks. The photo relied on the best available information based on images that reportedly showed the shooter at the scene and after his death. However, they do not match with other images appearing to show Crooks’s social media accounts.

Ben Sellers is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/realbensellers.

Biden Halts Trump Is ‘Hitler’ Ads after Assassination Attempt

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Biden Halts Trump Is ‘Hitler’ Ads after Assassination Attempt

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The scandal-plagued Biden campaign has pulled all its ads against former President Donald Trump after he was nearly killed by a shooter on Saturday. 

Joe Biden is “pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible,” a campaign official told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday morning. 

The ads would have likely labeled Trump as an existential threat ahead of the 2024 election. 

Biden’s anti-Trump claims have rightfully led critics to question whether this heavily partisan rhetoric has incited violence against Trump.

This rhetoric often conflates Trump with dictators, including Adolf Hitler, and suggests he would end “Democracy” if elected. 

Just on Friday, Biden appeared at a campaign rally in Michigan, where he labeled Trump a “threat to this nation.” 

Several conservatives quickly called out the past anti-Trump rhetoric that could have fueled violence against the former president. 

Cartoonist Scott Adams on Twitter wrote, “The Biden campaign is pausing its ad campaign that was obviously designed to get Trump assassinated.  The Fine People Hoax probably just killed one spectator, injured another, and almost ended Trump. This is all on Biden. 

Kyle Mann, the Babylon Bee’s editor-in-chief, added, “When you call your political opponent Hitler for 4 years, don’t act surprised when you inspire your followers to try to kill him.” 

Outkick founder Clay Travis echoed Mann’s remarks, writing, “I am f**king furious beyond words. F**k every left wing media member who has been calling him Hitler for the past eight years. This is on them. They made this happen.” Travis’s post has reached nearly 5 million views.

Director James Wood wrote, “We were two inches away from a civil war today. It is not a prospect I relish, but one that is to be feared if Democrats don’t stop with their absurd vile Hitler analogies and their assassination glee.” 

Comedian and host Dave Smith similar said, “How the f**k can you say he’s literally Hitler and Democracy is on the line but we wish him a speedy recovery and political violence is never acceptable?”

The Daily Wire posted a video compilation of several legacy media outlets comparing Trump to Hitler.

Other critics were equally vocal in their responses.

 

 

 

 

Biden Denied Security for Hunter’s Love Child Hours Before Trump Shooting

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Biden Denied Security for Hunter’s Love Child Hours Before Trump Shooting

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Lunden Roberts, the mother of President Joe Biden’s granddaughter Navy Biden, scolded the White House for not providing Secret Service protection to the 5-year-old child. 

In a Saturday interview with The Telegraph, Roberts expressed concerns for her daughter’s safety just hours before a near-fatal shooting of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.

Roberts declared that her daughter is the only grandchild without Secret Service protection, igniting fears and leading her to take personal security measures.

“I doubt every single mother is having to board their house up at night to barricade themselves in a room with 12 guns just to go to sleep,” Roberts lamented.

Referring to the Biden family, she added, “They don’t offer security, they don’t protect her in any way.” 

The timing of Roberts’ statements coincided with the failed assassination attempt targeting Trump.  

While Biden condemned the violence during a press conference, questions could linger about whether Navy Biden would receive protection. 

In August 2024, Biden claimed that all his grandchildren had Secret Service protection without specifying whether Navy Biden was included.  

The Daily Mail reported in June 2022, Roberts had requested the White House granted her and Navy Biden protection following alleged harassment by her ex-boyfriend, but Biden seemingly took no action. 

Subsequently, conservative non-profit Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit demanding Secret Service documents regarding the lack of protection for Biden’s first grandchild.  

“All of Joe Biden’s grandchildren can receive Secret Service protection while he’s in office. We frankly can’t imagine any good reason to deny security to this child,” declared Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in a statement. 

The lawsuit followed Biden’s refusal to acknowledge Navy Biden as his grandchild publicly. Neither Joe Biden nor First Lady Jill Biden have spoken to or visited Navy Biden, despite her expressed desire to meet the president. 

In an interview with the Daily Signal, Roberts recounted trying to justify Biden’s refusal to meet with the child, citing his busy schedule. 

“She says, ‘Oh, well, that’s why he hasn’t been to see me, because he’s out there helping so many other people. But when he’s done, he’s going to come see me,’” Roberts recounted. 

Biden Rejects Trump ‘Assassination’ Label after ‘Bullseye’ Threat

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Biden Rejects Trump ‘Assassination’ Label after ‘Bullseye’ Threat

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden left many Americans baffled after he refused to label the near-fatal shooting of former President Donald Trump as an “assassination attempt,” despite growing evidence suggesting otherwise. 

During a Saturday press conference, Biden cited ignorance about the assassination attempt.  “I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts, so I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make some—any more comments,” he claimed when asked about the shooting.

Earlier in the press conference, Biden called for everyone to condemn the shooting and said, “it’s one of the reason why we have to unite this country.”

Biden’s newly found condemnation of violence comes at odds with his previous vicious remarks and threats against Trump. 

While addressing donors earlier this week, Biden said that it was “time to put Trump in a bullseye” without specifying what he meant by such statements. 

Moreover, Biden has consistently portrayed Trump as a “threat” to democracy, labeling him as such in countless public statements.

Just days prior, he declared Trump a “threat to this nation” during a rally in Detroit, Michigan, and echoed the same sentiment at several of his events and social media posts. “There is one existential threat: It’s Donald Trump,” he specifically said at a February rally.

On Twitter, Biden has been equally vicious against Trump, often calling him the “greatest” threat to America.

 

Former President Barack Obama, who has similarly criticized Trump as a threat, condemned the shooting in a statement on Twitter. 

“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics,” Obama stated. 

Former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter (through the Center Center) condemned the violence in statements. 

“Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process,” Clinton wrote on Twitter.  

Bill Clinton’s wife, twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, also condemned the violence. Tellingly, Hillary Clinton herself has said Americans should be afraid of Trump ahead of the 2024 election. 

In a separate statement, Bush wrote, “Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life. And we commend the men and women of the Secret Service for their speedy response.” 

The Carter Center chimed in, writing, “Our thoughts are with President Trump and all those affected by this horrific act, and we call on all Americans to embrace civility in our democratic processes.”

Truly Sick: Media Reduces Failed Trump Assassination to ‘Loud Noises,’ ‘Falls’

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Truly Sick: Media Reduces Failed Trump Assassination to ‘Loud Noises,’ ‘Falls’

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The legacy media appeared to downplay the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a massive rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon. 

Early headlines such as CNN’s “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage after he falls at rally” and The Washington Post’s “Trump escorted away after loud noises at Pa. Rally,” were prominent on several outlets, seemingly minimizing the gravity of the situation. 

Lawmakers, media critics and observers quickly noticed the passive headlines that downplayed the historic shooting that rocked the nation on Saturday afternoon. 

“‘Falls at rally’? Is this a real headline? This is disgraceful,” wrote Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on Twitter, responding to CNN’s headline.

Echoing this sentiment, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a rumored Trump running mate, wrote, “Even in a horrifying moment such as this they just can’t help themselves.” 

The Media Research Center (MRC), a conservative media watchdog, captured several live segments of major outlets seemingly curbing the important detail that Trump, a former president and front-runner for the 2024 general election, was shot.

On NBC News, host Lester Holt disturbingly claimed the motives of the shooter weren’t clear. In response, MRC Executive Editor Tim Graham wrote, “Yes. We do. He wanted Trump dead.”

A CNN chyron on a show hosted by Wolf Blitzer read, “Trump injured in incident at PA rally.” A video compilation shared by MRC’s Bill D’Agostino featured videos from CNN and MSNBC on reports of “loud noises.” 

“CNN and MSNBC were so scared of giving Trump a martyrdom bump that they  could not physically bring themselves to say ‘possible gunshots,’” wrote D’Agostino on Twitter, sharing the video. 

Earlier coverage on CNN featured a reporter live at the rally, whining about Trump supporters being “angry” after their candidate was nearly killed by an individual.

On MSNBC, a anchor Jonathan Capehart claimed, “We all have to take a step back … also, we should all be mindful of how we talk about this right now and how we talk about it going forward.”

 

While initial details about the shooting were unclear, likely prompting reporters to hesitate about making definitive statements in such situations. However, such responsible journalism has been thrown out of the window in their coverage of Trump. 

For years, they peddled the demonstrably false claim that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. 

Similarly, these same outlets quickly blamed Israeli forces for a Gaza hospital bombing, only to be proven wrong when it was revealed that a terrorist group in Gaza was responsible.

More reactions to the media’s spins below.

 

 

WATCH: Eyewitness Reports 2 Shooters in Trump Assassination Attempt

Ken Silva
-
0
WATCH: Eyewitness Reports 2 Shooters in Trump Assassination Attempt

Update: Minutes after the publication of this article, another Pennsylvania resident reported two shooters. Headline USA incorporated that account into this article.

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) An NBC reporter interviewed an eyewitness to the assassination attempt against presidential front runner Donald Trump. The witness was said there could be two shooters.

“What I’ve heard coming out is they feel there were two shooters, one on both sides. They got the one on the tower, but the one on the right side they never got. That’s why they wanted us to leave immediately: because they thought there was still a shooter out there,” said a Butler, Pennsylvania woman named Erin, who was in the front row at the rally.

Erin also described the shooting to NBC.

“When he stood up, I saw the red tear drop of red blood. Then they got him up and turned him, I saw the blood from top to bottom. He put the fist-bump up and they walked him off,” she said.

Erin said she hope law enforcement kills the second shooter. NBC ended the interview soon after Erin revealed the information about the second shooter.

If there were indeed a second shooter, the implications are disturbing. Evidence suggests there could have been multiple shooters in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which is widely believed to have been sponsored by the CIA.

Popular conservative commentator Tucker Carlson predicated such an event several months ago.

However, it should be noted that eyewitness reports can be unreliable.

Other Pennsylvania residents are also reporting two shooters.

The situation is now an active Secret Service investigation.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

1...1,1881,1891,190...3,857Page 1,189 of 3,857