WASHINGTON – Text messages, bodycam footage, law enforcement briefing materials and an after-action report – all obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) – paint the “most detailed picture yet” of the security failures surrounding the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
 
Grassley has led Congress and federal agencies in providing the public the clearest account of the lead-up and aftermath of the shooting at Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13. His oversight reveals local law enforcement were aware of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks’ suspicious presence more than 30 minutes before he opened fire. Local law enforcement officers had communicated Crooks’ presence to their federal counterparts ahead of Trump’s appearance on stage.
 
Below is a summary of all records Grassley has received detailing local law enforcement’s planning and communications regarding the Trump event. Grassley’s oversight is ongoing.
 
Grassley Oversight Summary
July 8, 2024: Beaver County Emergency Services Unit (ESU) Team Leaders receive a request to cover the July 13 Trump rally (texts). 
July 10, 2024: Beaver County ESU finalizes assignments for the July 13 Trump rally (texts).
July 13, 2024: 
  • 9:00 a.m.: Butler County ESU hosts a briefing for local law enforcement ahead of the Trump event. The Secret Service was absent from the briefing (detail plan).  
  • 1:03 p.m.: Beaver, Butler and Washington County snipers connect via group chat (texts).
  • 4:26 p.m.: A Beaver County sniper finishes his shift and departs the AGR building. While exiting, he spots what he considered to be a suspicious individual at a picnic table outside and alerts the remaining Beaver and Butler snipers in the AGR building to the individual's presence (texts). Source interviews indicate the individual departed shortly thereafter and was never identified. 
  • 5:38 p.m.: A Beaver County sniper sends photos of Crooks to the Beaver, Butler and Washington snipers group chat. The Beaver sniper notes Crooks was using “a range finder looking towards the stage” and recommends that they notify Secret Service snipers to “look out” (texts).
  • 5:45 p.m.: A Beaver County sniper sends photos of Crooks to the Beaver County ESU group chat. Beaver law enforcement recommends they alert “command” (texts).    
Post-shooting: Beaver County ESU compiles an after-action report containing a flash summary of the day’s events, including references to a Beaver County ESU counter sniper’s observation of Crooks at 5:10 p.m. near the AGR building and the counter sniper's photo documentation of the suspect at 5:14 p.m. (report). 
 
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Initial findings, based on multiple representations from Beaver County law enforcement explaining their text messages from July 13, identified the individual seen at 4:26 p.m. as Thomas Crooks, due to an alleged similar visual appearance. Additional findings and subsequent source interviews indicate this was an unknown individual who was considered suspicious by Beaver County law enforcement.  Changes have since been made based on the additional findings, an updated FBI timeline and subsequent source interviews.