Trump assassination attempt: New police body camera footage released
Assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump (Cox Media Group)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — Police in Western Pennsylvania shined a new light on the moments immediately preceding the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life last month.
Butler Township Police released officers’ body camera footage of the shooting that left one rallygoer dead, two others hurt and Trump wounded in his ear, WPXI reported.
Both The New York Times and CNN submitted public records requests to get access to the videos.
The department released 12 videos captured by body cameras and dashboard cameras captured before and during the time gunman Thomas Crooks opened fire on the crowd that attended Trump’s rally on July 13.
Assassination attempt (Cox Media Group/Google Earth)
Some of the videos showed local officers talking about telling the Secret Service to have someone posted at the building where Crooks took his position days before the rally.
“I [expletive] told them they need to post the guys [expletive] over here,” an officer said in one clip. “I told them that, the [expletive], the Secret Service, I told them that [expletive] Tuesday. I told them to post [expletive] guys over here,” CNN reported.
Another clip showed a Butler police officer being pushed up by another officer on the roof then dropping as soon as he saw Crooks. About 40 seconds after, Crooks began firing eight shots, hitting Trump and three others before a Secret Service shot Crooks, killing him.
Attempted assassination (L) Bethel Park High School 2020 yearbook photo of Thomas Crooks; (R) Former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)
The Secret Service released a statement about the video, writing, “The U.S. Secret Service appreciates our local law enforcement partners, who acted courageously as they worked to locate the shooter that day. The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a U.S. Secret Service failure, and we are reviewing and updating our protective policies and procedures in order to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again.”
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for a rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Shortly after, shots rang out and Trump slumped before being whisked away by Secret Service with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Supporters of Republican presidential candidate, former U.S President Donald Trump wait for the start of a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Shortly after Trump began to speak, shots rang out and the former president slumped before being whisked away by Secret Service with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said that the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is swarmed by Secret Service after gunshots rang out at a rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped before being whisked away with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped and injuries were visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped and injuries were visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped and injuries were visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped and injuries were visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped and injuries were visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Attendees duck from gunfire at a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped before being whisked away by Secret Service with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Attendees scatter after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped before being whisked away by Secret Service with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Attendees scatter after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped before being whisked away by Secret Service with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Law enforcement agents stand near the stage of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Campaign signs and empty water bottles are seen on the ground of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Law enforcement agents stand near the stage of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Campaign signs and empty water bottles are seen on the ground of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Campaign signs and empty water bottles are seen on the ground of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump attempted assassination BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Law enforcement agents stand near the stage of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)