(NewsNation) — The building where the man who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump shot his weapon from was assigned to local authorities to cover, a U.S. Secret Service source told NewsNation.
The source said it’s standard for local police to handle areas outside the perimeter of an event because they know them better. The shooter was set up on a building some 130 yards away from Trump’s stage at a rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Secret Service was in charge of this security,” Butler County, Pennsylvania District Attorney Richard Goldinger confirmed to NewsNation. He said he was not aware of any county units assigned to the building, but it may have been another agency if that’s true. Goldinger added he did not want to get into a finger-pointing match with the Secret Service.
A local officer did check on the roof and found the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, the source said, but did not engage because he couldn’t reach his weapon and Crooks’ gun was pointed at him.
According to the source, the shooter was flagged in the security process as he entered the rally, but officers lost him in the crowd as they tried to follow him. He was then spotted on the roof, and the officer checked on him before backing off. Then, Crooks opened fire. A Secret Service sniper killed him shortly after.
The Secret Service is still investigating how Crooks got on the roof.
Secret Service snipers at the rally did what they are trained to do Saturday — eliminate the threat, Melanie Burkholder, a former Secret Service agent, said in an interview with NewsNation.
“They would have been placed strategically to have eyes on every part of that arena or venue,” Burkholder said.
Beth Celestini, who worked for the Secret Service for over two decades before retiring three years ago, said the agency does an “advance” anywhere they are stationed. Planning can take place weeks or even months in advance, depending on the situation, she added.
“The Secret Service always partners with the local law enforcement, state law enforcement,” Celestini said. “We can’t do this job alone. We have to rely on the state and local, and everyone has a job. And I think it’s premature to say exactly what happened.”
Crooks’ shots injured, but did not kill, Trump and two attendees: David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74. Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed as he shielded his family from the fire.
