A police sniper saved the life of would-be assassin Donald Trump by shooting him with his rifle and knocking him down, an investigation says.
After Thomas Matthew Crooks took his first shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, a sniper’s bullet damaged his gun and disrupted his aim, according to a report by Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins . A Secret Service sniper killed him shortly afterwards.
The report comes as the Secret Service temporarily reassigns some of President Joe Biden’s bodyguards to Trump, according to US media reports.
Trump will also receive bulletproof glass protection so he can resume outdoor rallies.
The former president was unprotected at the July 13 rally in Butler when a bullet narrowly missed him in the head.
Mr. Higgins’ report said a Butler SWAT team member was the first to shoot Trump’s assassin from 100 yards away.
The congressman said the snipers “ran toward the threat, into clear firing position and directly into the line of fire.”
He then fired a shot at the gunman, striking part of his rifle, the report said.
This caused the shooter to temporarily move from his original position, but “seconds later,” he “bounced back” before being shot dead by a Secret Service sharpshooter.
Crooks killed one person in the crowd and seriously injured two others during the attack.
Security around the former president has increased since then.
new records obtained abc news Detailing internal discussions among local authorities about security issues planned for the day of the assassination attempt, the Butler County Sheriff noted that the rally would bring a “circus” and large crowds. The records also include text messages showing the frustration of local authorities following the shooting.
Local authorities discussed Secret Service requests for sniper and surveillance support, as well as counter-commando and quick-reaction forces.
In an email obtained by ABC News, Butler County District Attorney Sgt. Edward Lenz of the Adamstown Police Department detailed that they plan to provide two snipers, a quick reaction force and two mobile counter-assault teams.
He wrote that the counterattack team “will respond to and resolve attacks against presidential candidates at the venue, whether they are coordinated attacks by multiple attackers or attacks by a single attacker.”
He said a rapid reaction force would respond to any “high-risk incident outside the venue”.
The records were released after Secret Service agents were redeployed over threats against the 78-year-old Trump.
A source told the newspaper that the reassigned officials would either be responsible for traveling with Biden or setting up security at the event ahead of him.
Kimberly Cheatle, Director of the Secret Service Resigned on July 23 After the U.S. House of Representatives held a hearing on the assassination attempt.
Politicians on the House Oversight Committee criticized her for a lack of information in answering questions about security plans and how police responded to reports of suspicious gunman behavior before the shooting.
The 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired eight rounds in Trump’s direction from a rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter before being shot and killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper team.
The FBI is currently investigating the protection failure, and political leaders in the U.S. Congress have also begun investigating.
