By Hannah Nightingale – The Postmillennial
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, was reportedly flagged as suspicious by the Secret Service over an hour before the shooting, and that Secret Service marked him as a threat 10 minutes before Trump took to the stage.
Senator John Barrasso, who attended a briefing with Senate lawmakers and the Secret Service, told Fox News, “He was identified as a character of suspicion because [he had] a rangefinder as well as a backpack. And this was over an hour before the shooting actually occurred. So, you would think over the course of that hour, you shouldn’t lose sight of the individual. Somebody ought to be following up on those sorts of things. No evidence of that happening at all.”
A source familiar with the briefing told Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie that the Secret Service was aware of the threat 10 minutes before Trump walked on stage in Butler, and Trump was still allowed to go before the crowd.
Senator Marsha Blackburn, who was also present for the briefing, wrote on X, I” just got off a briefing with the Secret Service and FBI. I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking on stage.”
“I have no confidence in the leadership of Director Cheatle and believe it is in the best interest of our nation if she steps down from her position.”