Major False Flag Warning for November 6th 2010 ?????
The Crash, The Bailout And The Theft Of Ireland’s Resources
False Flag Attack November 2010 Possibly Predicted On The Simpsons TV Program
7/7 Ripple Effect and the End of Justice in Ireland
How The Rothschilds Control And Dictate To The World
by William Dean A. Garner
The grand plan of The First Sphere of Influence is to create a global mononation. Mononation is one state. It has one government.
One set of laws for all ordinary citizens, no laws for the elite.
Bank For International Settlements (BIS): How The Rothschilds Control And Dictate To The World by William Dean A. Garner
Lord Jacob Rothschild and his luxurious estate. Waddesdon Manor, from where he sends instructions to associates like Obama who oversee America's deconstruction
In many of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign offices, his campaign workers displayed pictures and posters of Cuban Communist revolutionary Ché Guevara and Barack Obama side-by-side.
Barack Obama will go down in history as America’s first Russian Jewish President." Abner Mikva (Jew)
Former White House Counsel, Clinton Administration (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 12, 2008)
With Rothschilds help Russia has finally taken over the United states of America with the people of America welcoming him with open arms because of their hatred for the terror reign under USA Presidents like George Bush Senior and Junior, Bill Clinton for the 100 years who were also Rothschilds Choices... the brilliant and clever marketing strategy.... make life hell for the American people under the most unpopular USA President in History and who ever you put as president of the United States of America the people of America and the rest of the world will bless that person in the short term .... until they realise who he actually works for and why his has been allowed to become the President of the United States of American by the real true owner and ruler of Plant Earth.... our Lord and Master Lord Jacob Rothschild
The Master and His over £100,000 Trillion wealth which amounts to about three quaters of the wealth of the whole of planet earth, which comprises of:
land, gold, silver, Uranium and other precious commodities, energy resources such as oil, food production and distribution, London City through whuich he controls Brutain absolutely with the British Prime Ministers his personal servants whon have been described by David Ike as "Gofers for Lord Jabob Rothschild" , Washington City through which he control the USA, Vatican City through which he controls the Popea nd teh Catholic church ever since he saved the Cathloc Church from bankruptcy and allowed him to take over, The World Bank, the Bank of International Settlement which is in efeftc the one world bank controlling all other central banks. the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), intelligence organisations such as the CIA, MI5, Mosaad, every country's central banks in the world except five countries which are Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Cuba and Libya.
There are now only 5 nations on the world left without a Rothschild controlled central bank: Iran; North Korea; Sudan; Cuba; and Libya.
Rothschild's Choice for USA Presidents includes Barack Obama who works the Hidden Cabal who are behind the Plot To Murder America
Lord Jacob Rothschild
Lord Jacob Rothschild's evil and insane plan to turn planet earth into a New World Order, which just has One Ruler, One Bank and One Army where every man, women and child on Planet Earth has a Radio Controlled RIFD Chip implanted in their arm which has all the worlds money controlled on it and also hold everyone person privates details about their whole life from the day they are born and monitored and records every second on their life and movements, which Lord Jacob Rothschild has named his
"Brave New World"
Beatrice de Rothschild's villa on the Côte d'Azur, France
Vermeer's The Astronomer, donated to charity by the family in 1982
Vermeer's The Astronomer, donated to charity by the family in 1982
Halton House, England
Countess Sibyl Sassoon (1894-1989)
Lord Ferdinand von Rothschild (1839–1898)
A Rothschild Villa, photographed in 1900, Königstein, Germany
Baron David René de Rothschild, current French chairman of N M Rothschild & Sons and formerly of De Beers
Grüneburgschlößchen, Frankfurt, 1845, one of the Rothschilds' many German garden-mansions. This particular estate was destroyed in an allied bombing raid, 1944.
If one looked on the backstage of history, he would find the House of Rothschild. They have indebted Kings, manipulated kingdoms, created wars and molded the very shape of the international world. Among the hierarchy of the Illuminati they are revered as a powerful satanic bloodline. They are "living legends." Said one biographer: "In America a boy wants to become President. In Europe he would rather be a Rothschild.... To be ‘a Rothschild’ is to be a modern Croesus, a twentieth-century Midas." They are a dynasty of enduring power; a "magic" bloodline In Satan’s Empire. We will probably never know exactly when occultism was introduced to the Rothschilds. Several of their ancestors have been rabbis, so the occultism probably came in the form of Jewish Cabalism, Sabbatism, or Frankism. The House of Rothschild practices gnostic-satanism (the Rothschilds would probably not call themselves satanists, but by our standards they are, considering the sacrificial and spiritual worship involved). The truth is sometimes hard to tell. The stories the family weave are hard to distinguish from the truth. Myths are one of their best weapons, and a researcher must be wary. The family began in Frankfort, Germany (the city where paper money was popularized). The oldest known Rothschild went by the name of Uri Feibesch who lived in the early 16th century. His descendants lived in the House of Red Shield. His great, great, great, great Grandson was Moses Bauer, who lived in the early 18th century. The family was mostly made-up of Jewish retail traders, and lived in the Judengasse, or Jew’s Alley in Frankfort. Jew’s Alley was the product of the anti-semitic bent in Europe, and did not have very good living conditions. Most Ashkenazim Jews of that time did not use sir-names, instead they preferred the Chinese custom of using a symbol as the family identity. These symbols were sometimes used on signs outside Jewish houses as an address. Some Jews had taken on sir-names, to fit in, but the use of symbols was more popular. The early Rothschilds chose the sir-name Bauer (meaning farmer in German. Why would a family of retail traders call themselves Bauer? Perhaps to remain un-noticed). The Bauer line continues today, but in the 1700’s one man re-named his branch of the family after its symbol and address - the Red Shield or the Seal of Solomon. Mayer Amschel Bauer was a well-off coin trader in Frankfort. In front of his house hung a sign with the family’s symbol, which was a red hexagram. The hexagram (also known as the Seal of Solomon, the Magden David, or the Star of David) is very occultic. It is used today as the symbol of Israel, but It is not ,,Jewish." In his excellent book THE SIX-POINTED STAR, O.J. Graham explains that the hexagram was used in the ancient mystery religions. It was the symbol of Moloch, Ashtoreth, and others. In fact, the hexagram was used to represent Saturn, which earlier newsletters have discussed. The six-pointed star is considered the equivalent of the Oriental Yin-and-Yang symbol, which is the Luciferian concept of balancing good and evil. The symbol appears to have been used by King Solomon when he apostasized, and was thereafter called the Seal of Solomon. Later on, Jewish Cabalism (or Occultism - different name, same game) picked it up as a magic symbol. Through the promotion of the Cabalists and the Zionists it has become the symbol of Jewish identity, although the occult circles know better. The Bauer’s use of a hexagram as their family sign points to their involvement in Jewish Cabalism. In fact, the six-pointed star was so significant to them that Mayer Amschel Bauer decided to adopt it as his new name - Mayer Amschel Rothschild (Rot-schildt = Red Shield). I believe this was done to identify his family with occultism and the likes of Saturn or Ashtoreth (whom the Astors are named after). Mayer was sent to be a rabbi when he was 10, in 1753. A year and a half later his parents died. Mayer was brilliant and was encouraged by relatives to continue his studies but coin trading was his love. He left the school and when 13 was sent to Hanover to be an apprentice at the Illuminati Oppenheimer bank. He worked there for 7 years, learning the ins and out of money. The big question is why he left the Oppenheimer bank. It was a good situation, both financially and socially (Hanover was less antagonistic towards the Jews than Frankfort). Why leave this security and head back home to an uncertain future? Because the future wasn’t all that uncertain. While in Hanover Mayer made the acquaintance of General von Estorff, a numismatist who was impressed by Mayer’s knowledge of the subject. In 1763 General von Estorff left Hanover and joined the Court of Prince William IX of Hesse-Hanau, whose territory included Frankfort. Mayer knew that through his connections he would be able to get some business with the Prince. It appears Mayer’s stay at the Oppenheimer bank was used to establish himself in Illuminati circles and to find a way to get close to the Illuminati royalty. General von Estorff was his key. Prince William of Hesse-Hanau was tied into the Illuminati. He was the son of Landgrave Frederick or Hesse-Cassel, of the royal family of Hesse. Prince William was a Freemason, and his younger brother Karl, was according to JEWS AND FREEMASONS IN EUROPE, 1723-1939, ‘accepted as the head of all German Freemasons.’ Members of the Hesse dynasty have been described as the leaders of the Strict Observance (in 1782 a Masonic Congress in Wilhelmsbad, a city in the Hesse province, dropped the name ‘Strict Observance’ and changed it to "Beneficent Knights of the Holy City"). The Hesse dynasty is totally connected to the Illuminati. Prince William was the grandson of King George II of England. The Hesse-Cassel’s were one of the richest royal houses in Europe. Their income came mainly from the loaning-out of Hessian soldiers to foreign countries. (The elite loves to makes profit off of "peacekeeping" troops, which is exactly what the Hessians were called. This "peacekeeping" always adds up to imperialism. The Hessian troops were used by England in the American Revolution, in fact the colonial armies fought more Hessian soldiers than English. The House of Hesse-Cassel made a lot of money off the American Revolution.) Another example of the Hesse-Cassel’s ties to the Illuminati is the enigmatic figure St. Germain, who is hailed as a New Age Messiah-figure. Many researchers believe that St. Germain was the son of Francis II of Transylvania. Francis II’s second wife was Charlotte Amalie of the House of Hesse, he married her in 1694. St. Germain was either her son, or the prior wife’s, this point is debated. His name was Leopold-George and they staged his death in 1700 to save him from the deadly collapse of the Transylvanian dynasty. Prince Karl of Hesse, Masonic leader of Germany, wrote that St. Germain had been sent down to Italy to be raised by the Medici family. Later on St. Germain appeared out of nowhere to work with the elite. There were questions as to his identity and Napoleon Ill had a dossier gathered on him, but the house holding the dossier was mysteriously destroyed in a fire. St. Germain was an alchemist and he claimed to have the alchemical Elixir of Life, the secret formula of immortality (which the Rosicrucians also claimed to have). He was a guest of William and Karl of Hesse in 1774, and in 1779 returned to Karl to spend the last years of his known life. Helena Blavatsky, cofounder of the Theosophical Society claimed that St. Germain was one of the Hidden Masters of Tibet who secretly controlled the world’s destiny. In 1930 Guy Ballard claimed that he met St. GermaIn on Mount Shasta. This supposed meeting led to the creation of the ‘I AM’ movement.
The Crash, The Bailout And The Theft Of Ireland’s Resources
As Ireland’s government steers the country into an economic black hole there are many of us left scratching our heads as to why they are not using the massive wealth of this nation to fund the recovery and our future, and to tell the bankers where to go with their imaginary gambling debts.
As I’ve watched this country self-destruct over the last two years since the derivatives bubble was burst, I ask myself why is it happening?
Why in a country rich with investment, talent, and resources and with a reasonably healthy economy with good exports, is the whole thing spiraling into a never ending cycle of un-payable debt? Believe me it is un-payable, just like all the third world debt issued by the IMF and World Bank before this.
We all know by now that the bankrupt international banks, who issue credit out of thin air, crippled the industries that support our jobs and thus our economy and sent the whole world crashing into what many believe from understanding history, is a deliberate recession from which, as history shows, the main banks will once again come out the other side more wealthy and larger than before. One need only look at the 1907 and 1929 crashes to see this consolidation process in action in the years that followed.
None of us Joe Public were in particularly problematic debt. Just the normal loans for a home and a car, nothing special. Nothing we couldn’t manage on our salaries. Yet still here we are now indebted, by the actions of a government with no mandate, to the tune of around €18,000 for every man, woman and child in the country. The interest alone will cost around €3,000 per year in extra taxes for every working person in the country before any of the principle loan is paid off.
So how are we expected to pay back this loan for a debt that we never incurred in the first place? A debt that only exists in the ups and downs of market values and shares in a fictional world of computerised credit, and not a single solid asset in sight. Yes, you guessed it. We are to pay the fictional debt with our real assets. Those being our labour, our children’s labour and our grandchildren’s labour, as well as the selling off of our public services to private corporations owned by the banks to be run for profit by them. These will include our roads for tolling, our health services, our utilities like the ESB and Bord Gais, and our water suppliers, even our ports and airports.
It doesn’t stop there though because as well as these institutions and all their associated assets, which will undoubtedly be asset stripped, the bankers are looking to take our €20+ billion of national pension fund which has been accumulated to pay the pensions of the people of Ireland in just such a difficult period. Finally, and the nub of this article, the international bankers will be given by our government the country’s tangible wealth in the form of land, minerals, our forestry, and most importantly our fuel resources in gas and oil.
Unbeknown to most people in Ireland, this country is one of the wealthiest countries in the world for natural mineral wealth. An inspection of the applications for mining licenses will reveal among other precious minerals like zinc and lead, a wealth of silver and gold buried under the ground. In fact the volumes of minerals found in Ireland per square mile make it the richest country in the world for mineral deposits. This is very valuable and why this has not been exploited is unexplained. Yet there is another kind of gold that Ireland possesses in spades that is being exploited now. The black gold !
Off the west coast of Ireland there is an enormous volume of oil and gas. The government (Dept. of Communications, Energy Natural Resources) themselves valued west coast deposits in 2008 at €540 billion although the price of oil and gas then was a fraction of what it is now. This is a resource that could give everyone in Ireland free energy in the same way that Norway funnel their oil wealth to their people, and still make huge profits selling energy to the UK and Europe.
The Corrib oil field currently being exploited by Shell, that we hear about for all the wrong reasons, is the only oil and gas field the public are aware of, but there are huge basins of oil and gas known to exist off Limerick and Kerry. One in particular called Dunquin gas field which is a proven field and is described by the operator (Exxon/Mobil) as “one of the biggest fields in the world” containing an estimated 25 trillion cubic feet of gas and over 4 billion barrels of oil. This alone could keep Ireland running for over 60 years.
The reserves off the west and north west coasts in total have been estimated at around 130 billion barrels of oil and 50 trillion cubic feet of gas. A virtual underwater Saudi Arabia. Yet it doesn’t end there. The Lough Allen Basin is a huge inland gas field in the northwest which has been known for some 40 years now and contains 9.4 trillion cubic feet of gas. Enough to power Ireland for the next 25 years but it has has yet to be tapped. There are known fields off the south coast that have yet to be announced.
Furthermore, new oil and gas basins have been announced this year off the coast of Dublin by Tony O’Reilly’s company Providence Resources and it’s UK partners. O’Reilly is also partnering Exxon in Dunquin. The east coast fields have been estimated in the hundreds of billions in value to Ireland and yet along with the riches of the west and south, the inland gas and the wealth of minerals that we are literally tripping over here, we are still bankrupt ! Does this make any sense to you?
Unfortunately over the last 35 years successive governments have eliminated all of Ireland’s rights to capitalise on it’s own resources. They have legislated away their percentage share of the gas and oil down from 50% to 0%. Yes zero. So the oil and gas is wholly owned by the oil companies royalty free. Successive ministers like Ray Burke and Bertie Ahern have been instrumental in this process which even saw the reduction in tax on oil profits to only 25% where other countries charge almost 70%. This also is only payable after all exploration and development costs are deducted as well as future decommissioning costs which effectively negates the corporation tax too.
Ireland should be the richest country in Europe with the majority of Europe’s oil and gas and fishing waters, as well as the richest mineral deposits. Yet our government has given the fisheries away to the EU, many of the mining operations are owned by foreign companies and now all the energy reserves have been given away to large multinational companies who are under no obligation to even sell the gas or oil to Ireland and we will be forced to buy our own gas and oil back at market prices from the oil giants.
This situation cannot possibly be accidental. The legislating away of our resources was a deliberate act and in this writers opinion it would seem to be a criminal act of some description. This kind of intergenerational legislative deceit could only be done with cooperation and foreknowledge and looks on the surface to be the biggest fraud ever perpetrated in the history of the state.
It even far exceeds the apparent fraud of the bank bailout wherein we the people are paying off UK and German banks, who held high risk bonds in bad banks, by using loans from the very same UK and German banks to pay their bonds, and we are charged interest for the privilege of bailing out their gambling debts to boot. Does this seem right to anyone except our politicians? Nobody of sound mind could fail to see the deliberate fraud of this and the role being played by our government in assisting this.
When the government accept this IMF bailout they will be relinquishing control of the nation and handing over the financial management of the country to the IMF, which in effect is only a front for the UK and German banks that funded the bailout. It is therefore they who will decide that Irelands assets are sold off and to who. Watch this space and we will find with very little investigation that subsidiary companies of the banks may well benefit greatly from this fire sale.
Already Bertie Ahern in his cushy new job as head of the International Forestry Fund, a corporation set up by a Swiss financial services provider Helvetia Wealth AG, is bidding to buy and privatise Coalite, which controls all Irelands forestry. This would mean 7% of Ireland’s land mass would be in the hands of one of these international banks. It was a recommendation of the An Bord Snip Nua report in 2009 and the appointment of Ahern in 2010 tells me that this was probably already a done deal before the bailout ever reared it’s head.
The level of collusion to pull off this takeover of assets has to go to the highest levels of government in order to orchestrate this over such a long period of time, because not only was the oil and gas legislation nullified but so was the banking control legislation in the same period.
Indeed if we look to those people who have been in positions of power and also regularly attended secret meetings like the annual Bilderberg meeting or the Tri-lateral Commission meeting along with all of these bankers, oil companies, other multinationals and politicians in Europe and worldwide, then we may be seeing the root of the conflict of interests of our own politicians and should ask who are they really working for?
If these meetings aren’t shady enough it is made more suspicious by the fact that the Tri-lateral Commission meeting this year was held over three days in Dublin this Spring, without ever getting a mention on the national news despite 300 of the world’s richest and most powerful people being in Dublin and being dined by the President.
If we want to know why we are being asset stripped, then this is a good place to start to find your culprits, and perhaps these are he questions that people should be asking the election canvassers this week instead of who is going to fill the potholes?
7/7 Ripple Effect and the End of Justice in Ireland
John Anthony Hill’s appeal in the Irish Supreme Court against extradition to the UK was defeated yesterday. This means the judge in the case gave precedence to a European arrest warrant over and above the Irish Constitution which protects our political views. This decision proves once and for all that the Irish legal system is totally corrupt and working in league with the criminal state authorities of Ireland and their masters in the UK and Europe, and are under the control of the Bar Council which is based in London and is used now as their weapon of control.
This is an interview held with John Hill (aka Muad dib) on the day before the appeal hearing (10th November 2010) in which he explains the case against him
It is an incredible decision when you consider how many times the UK has been found guilty of criminal activity and perjury against innocent people in the past. One only need look back to the 1970s during the troubles in the north of Ireland when high profile cases like the Birmingham 6 and the Guildford 4 put innocent people in prison for half their lives without evidence. Now in the present they commit torture and rendition and the false flag 7/7 event that for the first time in British legal history had no trial or inquest at the behest of the government. In light of this it is impossible to understand how a judge could approve this extradition unless he was involved in a cover-up
If you haven’t seen the film 7/7 Ripple effect you can see it at the link below and your eyes will be opened.
After that you will understand why the British State is going to such extraordinary lengths to pursue this man and cover-up their crimes. Only the guilty would try to imprison a man for life for sending a CD to a Kingston courthouse clerk to distribute to the judge and jury foreman if they saw fit
On a side note, it is also very interesting that they scheduled this for 11 AM on 11.11. This (11) is the power number of the ruling cartel and they use it for many of their “events” from fake terror to financial crashes or other disasters, to unlawful legislation and important speeches or announcements. This undoubtedly is one of these important events for them as it represents the destruction of sovereign justice in ireland and the complete takeover of the legal system by outside agencies
John Hill will not receive a fair trial in Britain, that is a given. When one sees the efforts the new government are going to to cover up information relating to the latest narrow and limited inquest into the 7/7 event one can see exactly what will occur if he goes to trial. Surprisingly though he remains upbeat about it and sees it as an opportunity to get his film shown in court as evidence. I have a feeling however that the trial judge will rule it inadmissible.
This must not be allowed stand, for if this man goes down, then anyone of us cold be next. i don’t think you or I or anyone wants to live in a world where criminals control the government, media and the courts. Time to start the change.
Major False Flag Warning for November 6th 2010 ?????
If you have read my website over the last 4 years you will notice I have covered the subjects of false flag events being predicted in tv and film, or rather the message has been planted there for us for our tacit approval of what is to be done to us.
I have also written on the usefulness to the elites of their puppet presidents, whether they are more useful alive or dead, and on the many steps they take to implement their surveillance police state of the future. Well I get a feeling they could all be coming together right now
November of 2010 has long been predicted by many different sources over the last few years as the time when an event will happen that will be a catalyst to a third world war. Of course we know from real history that the first two wars were totally contrived and funded by the same people trying to make this one happen. It serves their interests geopolitically and socially as well as monetarily.
The area mostly commonly identified with the start of this war has been predicted not as Iran as many might think, but the juncture between India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China and Russia. With the US and NATO sitting in Afghanistan you have the makings of a huge conflict of alliances, but you need something to start it off. Well there have always been border disputes between China and India. China is very friendly with Pakistan who also have border and territory disputes with India. Pakistan as well as India is suffering tremendously under the infiltration of the western elites’ agents. the Mumbai gun attacks was a case in point. A false flag event in which the top team in the Indian anti terror unit, who were cleaning up far too successfully, were all assassinated during the event.
The infiltration is now at government and intelligence levels in these countries and the cracks are showing. An orchestrated war with a NATO/Indian alliance contrived to face a Pakistani/Chinese alliance possibly spreading to Russia and all the former soviets around Iran. It would spread of course. Who really knows which way they are going to plan it, I cannot say for sure, but plan it they will and they are.
So how to get it started? Well I wrote previously about how useful is Obama to the elites. He was useful for the last two years to soft soap and sweet talk the American public into accepting the bankers’ biggest heist of their wealth in the country’s history. He oversaw the destruction of the economy while convincing the plebs he was fixing it. He even managed to get the first stage of the eugenics programme through in the various bills affecting health. However as the mid term elections have shown his time of usefulness to them may be coming to an end, but when a man is no longer useful alive, he can sometimes be more useful dead. Perhaps it is more than a coincidence that a lot of Obamas zionist staffers have been making quiet exits recently. Perhaps they know something he doesn’t.
So now we have a 4 day visit about to start from the 6th to the 9th of November by Obama to India. The newspapers are full of stories about how they are taking 3000 people including all his fanily and spending 200 million dollars a day on security. Well it would seem to me to be the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Remove the salesman who can no longer sell, and as a result get the security budget tripled and blame a rogue nation for the killing of a president of the US. What more would you need to have all out war by Christmas? Imagine how many of the unemployed black community would join the marines after that?
Of course this you might say is all my personal speculation, and I suppose you would be right, but then the issue of predictive programming comes in. I didn’t say how it might happen but we are talking about a region being destabilised by the CIA MI5 and Mossad for decades, and an area with a lot of nuclear bombs, especially in a fracturing country like Pakistan. Now wouldn’t it be just too perfect for the NATO alliance to spread some more “good intelligence” that a bomb is in terrorist hands and set one off, perhaps one of the ones that was reported missing from the US military. Who knows for sure, but save letting off a nuke in a US city, this would be a less messy option for the US to keep it’s own counrty stable enough to still afford to go to war. It might also get the Indians into a nuclear retaliation.
However seeing as he has taken his family and a large number of CEOs of major companies, a crazy amount of security and a blank cheque book, then perhaps the event will actually be in the US after all and they just want to be out of the way in case the wind blows the fallout their way? We shall see.
So to this piece of video, It comes very nicely into focus this week because of the date that is hidden in the video. November 6th. I shall speculate no further, just watch and tell me what you think
One point in case relating to this is that many of you may remember the video to be found on YouTube that highlighted all the false flag events that happened in the US and plotted them to form a pentagram. Well that video predicted the Gulf of Mexico. Now though I noticed that one of the so far un-used points on the pentagram actually coincides with a town called Springfield, uncanny as this is the name of the town in the Simpsons video too. Just a thought
Rothschild's Choice:
He's being called "Messiah," "World Teacher," "Pharaoh," "Savior," and even "God." But Barack Obama is best described in two words: "Rothschild's Choice.
clearly intended to promote the same idea—one more example of Rothschild's mind-bending psychological control techniques
Barack Obama will go down in history as America’s first Russian Jewish President." Abner Mikva (Jew)
Former White House Counsel, Clinton Administration (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 12, 2008)
With Rothschilds help Russia has finally taken over the United states of America with the people of America welcoming him with open arms because of their hatred for the terror reign under USA Presidents like George Bush Senior and Junior, Bill Clinton for the 100 years who were also Rothschilds Choices... the brilliant and clever marketing strategy.... make life hell for the American people under the most unpopular USA President in History and who ever you put as president of the United States of America the people of America and the rest of the world will bless that person in the short term .... until they realise who he actually works for and why his has been allowed to become the President of the United States of American by the real true owner and ruler of Plant Earth.... our Lord and Master Lord Jacob Rothschild
Barack Obama will go down in history as America’s first Russian Jewish President." Abner Mikva (Jew)
Former White House Counsel, Clinton Administration (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 12, 2008)
With Rothschilds help Russia has finally taken over the United states of America with the people of America welcoming him with open arms because of their hatred for the terror reign under USA Presidents like George Bush Senior and Junior, Bill Clinton for the 100 years who were also Rothschilds Choices... the brilliant and clever marketing strategy.... make life hell for the American people under the most unpopular USA President in History and who ever you put as president of the United States of America the people of America and the rest of the world will bless that person in the short term .... until they realise who he actually works for and why his has been allowed to become the President of the United States of American by the real true owner and ruler of Plant Earth.... our Lord and Master Lord Jacob Rothschild
Adolph Hitler, the son of a Rothschild, Rothschilds Choice and publicly popular at the time for the Head of Nazi Germany, who was mothered by the Rothschild's live in made, who was also a Rothschild's chose to be appointed the head of Nazi Germany to manage the Rothschild Murder Camps in Nazi Germany during the Second world War, where over ten million poor Jews and low level Freemason were murdered by poisoning them in large ovens filled with the poisonous Zyclon B, which was originally developed to kill insects not human beings. The reality these Rothschild Death Camps as they have become known in history books were actually for the real purpose to use live men, women and children for medical experiments such as mind control , the effects on human being when injected with different tyles of drugs and poisons and other experiments the way rats are used by scientists to test all sorts of new drugs and other medical experiments
. http://www.inlnews.com/AdolfHitler_EvaBrownFilm.html Did Adolf Hitler once live in Liverpool? 20 April 1937 (48th Birthday) Was Liverpool once th ehome of Adolf Hitler? The claim was made by th elater Bridget Hitler, the Irish woman,who married Adolf Hitler's half brother, Alois. As Bridget Hitler told in her memoirs, 'Adolf arrived at Liverpool's Lime Street Station in November, 1912. The 23-year-old nascent Nazi, who was an impoverished artist and dodging militiay service in his native Austria, settled for about six months in Bridget and Alois's three room flat at 102 Upper Stanhope Street in Toxteth, Liverpool, Adolf had a full handlebar mustache and was keen on maps, astrology, and Germany's rightful position in the world'. Bridget claimed that Adolf not only wandered around Liverpool, but visited London with Alois:' Adolf was enchanted by the Tower Gridge, and they bribed their wat into the engine room to see the immense machinery in motion'. But the future Fuhrer's Scouse sojourn is uncorroborated by other sources, and hstorinas beleive Adolf was safely tucked up in a men's hostel in Vienna at the time. The Luthwarffe finished off 102 Upper Stanhope Street in Toxteth, Liverpool, during a bombing raid in 1942.
Photos of the Death Camps in Nazi Germany during the second world war taken from the Film I'm in Love With Hitler http://www.inlnews.com/AdolfHitler_EvaBrownFilm.html Adoph Hitler seen palying with young children " just a ordinary loving family guy" taken from the film I'm In Love With Hitler
The real hidden reason for Michael Jackson's murder was because he was one of the original motivators of the making of the film the Great American Novel and took part in the making of the film The Great American Novel ...Michael Jackson actually become part of the Illuminated Inner Circle of the Secret Societies Groups and Organizations that already run the American Union, Britain, The European Union, the African Union and soon to be the Asian Union ..... who are determined to include the whole world to be under their control by the 21st December, 2012 .... however, when the actual details of the final plan that these evil criminally insane people have been working on for the last 300 years was revelled to Michael Jackson as an Illuminated Inner Circle Member, to have their "New World Order", they are calling "The Brave New World" with One Ruler, One Bank and One Army ... in a world were every man woman and child on plant earth will have a RDIF Radio Micro Chip implanted in their arm, which will control all money transactions on planet earth, hold everyone's personal details and information, track everyone's second to second movements .... with everyone needing to have their chip active to take part in any aspect of society, and that all personal rights will be removed from everyone .... and if anyone dares to complain about the way the One World Government is runs the "New World Order", they are naming, the "Brave New World" ..... they will simply turn their chip off.. Michael Jackson wanted to be involved with making the film .... The Great American Novel .... to expose the details of this evil plan to the world .... thankfully some of Michael Jackson's input was partly completed prior to Michael Jackson's Murder...which has been included in the film .... The Great American Novel ..... Michael Jackson was to complete a lot more work for the film, but he was murdered before he could complete the rest of his work and input for the film, to try and stop him doing anymore work on the film and to try and stop the film ... The Great American Novel ... being made and distributed to everyone one in the world to see ... to open their eyes as to trap they are leading everyone into... the other real frightening thing is that the same group of people who manipulated, thought of, created, financed, supervised and carried out... the murder of over 10 million Jews and lower lever Freemasons by gasing them to death with Zyclon B,( a poisen that originally was invented only to use to kill insects), in the Nazi Death Camps during the Second Wold War, are in fact the same group of people secret societies, organisations, groups and families, that are in control of these Illuminati Secret Societies that are about to create their "New World Order", they are calling "The Brave New World " by the 21st December, 2012 .. they actually used the Nazi Death Camps as a massive experient to find out the best methods of controlling people and ways to be able to convince people to walk into their own death camps, and what drugs and chemicals to use on them to seem to make them not question anything they are told and make them easy to manipulate, like the chemicals they are putting in our water supplies in recent years that make people easy to manage and just except what they are told without question... to see how far they can brain wash people and get people to willingly do what they want, that is actually unknowingly, harmful to them.. the Nazi Death Camps were places they could freely experiment on live men, women and children, like scientists and doctors use animals to carry out medical experiments, and kill their victims after the tests, all under the fraudulent and devious false public perception that, all that was happening, was that some insane dictator called Adolph Hitler, who was actually the son of one of the Rothschild Family, born out of wedlock to a live in made of one of the Rothschild Family, was killing Jewish people as an ethnic cleansing operation .. that was just a front for the real reason for the Nazi Death Camps ...which was to use live human beings for medical experiments to help formulate the methods and chemicals needed to take over the world the create their "New World Order", they are calling "The Brave New World "....
The King of Pop Michael Jackson was murdered for helping to make The Great American Novel by the Rothschild International Banking Family, who are Russian Khazars who were originally from a country called Khazaria, which occupied the land locked between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea which is now predominantly occupied by Georgia and their International Banking and Busines Partnerand associates which also includes members of the Royal Families of Europe, and the following family names: Astor; Bundy; Collins; duPont; Freeman; Kennedy; Morgan; Sachs, Oppenheimer; Rockefeller; Sassoon; Schiff; Taft; and Van Duyn A must see film.....there is no doubt that everyone in the world will demand that the film The Great American Novel is shown in their town ...NYTToday
Royal Families of Europe, and the following family names: Astor; Bundy; Collins;
duPont; Freeman; Kennedy; Morgan; Sachs, Oppenheimer; Rockefeller; Sassoon; Schiff; Taft; and Van Duyn.are responsible for over 3 billion mass murders in the last 250 years through their manipulation, finance and control of wars and conflicts, starvation, malnutrition, slavery, famine, holocausts, genocide, ethnic cleansing, disease and other methods are set to be indited in the International Court of Justice as the biggest war criminal the world has ever known after 30 years on investigations have been complete by a special investigation team funded by the real Jewish business people whose families were murdered in Death Camps by poisons originally designed to kill insects made and produced in factories belonging to these evil criminally insane Mass Murderers
1849: Gutle Schnaper, Mayer Amschel Rothschild’s wife dies. Before her death she would nonchalantly state, "If my sons did not want wars, there would be none."
By the end of this century, a period of time that was known as the, "Age of the Rothschilds," it is estimated that the Rothschild family controlled half the wealth of the world.
Rothschild Banking Family Friends and business associates murderess control of over three billion deaths on the planet earth for over 250 years. These people control the central banks in most major countries around the world which includes The USA Federal Reserve Bank, the Bank of England, the Federal Reserve Bank of Australia, the Federal Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the Canadian Federal Reserve Bank and many more. In fact there is only about six large countries they do not control the central banks of which includes Iran. That is of the many reasons why they are determined to make war against Iran which will be the third world war, which will be used to create chaos and fear by everyone in the world so that everyone willing agrees to their One World Order plan with One Government, One Army and One Bank to control the world with everyone on the world will willingly have Micro Chips implanted in them which will track their every move on the planet and have all their personal information and money on these RDIF Radio Tracking Chips. In anyone wants to complain about the way the world is run by these powerful elite, then they will simply just term off their chip and they will not be able to buy food, obtain transport, get into their house, or do anything else as the whole of society will be based around the use of these micro chips. They have already named this "The Brave New World" which one of their paid authors Arthur Huxley stated in in book. Rupert Murdochs well paid job in the master plan was to fool the world by hiding all the imporant information from everyone as he controls most of the worlds mainstream media outets owning hundreds of billion of newspapers, internet websites like MySpace , magazines, book publishing, and film companies through his multi billion dollar company News Corp financed on Rothschilds Money,,,and keep the masses entertained with page three girls and other fun stuff like the Simpsons which his partners complete their plans to enslave the world with a one world government, were everyone is micro chipped and all the food has had mosytof its nutrients and minerals removed from it as well as implanted with they pesticides and bovine growth hormones to a level large and dangerous level ,so that billions of people will die from starvation and/or disease becuase they are not getting the correct nutrients and minerals in theitr food and are being poisened with high levels of poisones pesticiesa nd bovine growth hormones and geneticlly modified food Rupert Murdoch's last main job was to help David Cameron's Tory Party gain power in Britain through his control on the media in the UK, who has promised to sell him the BBC, as the BBC was the last truely well financed independant media out let it the world that would stand in their way in obtaining their one world government agenda.
For a complete round up on Michael Jackson go to www.inlnews.com
Press Association Michael Jackson's sister La Toya believes the King of Pop was effectively "murdered" for his money by a manipulative entourage, it emerged tonight.
In interviews with Sunday newspapers, La Toya gave details about the 50-year-old singer's sudden death, drugs found in his body and a stash of cash and jewels that she claims have gone missing.
She told the News of the World: "We don't think just one person was involved in the murder. It was a conspiracy to get Michael's money."
La Toya, 53, accused a "shadowy" group of hangers-on of cutting him off from his family and friends and forcing him to sign up for 50 concerts at London's O2 arena.
They also fed him drugs and saw him as a "cash cow", she claimed.
"He was surrounded by a bad circle," she told the Mail on Sunday. "Michael was a very meek, quiet, loving person. People took advantage of that.
"People fought to be close to him, people who weren't always on his side.
"Michael was worth more than a billion dollars. When anyone is worth that much money, there are always greedy people around them."
How The Rothschilds Control And Dictate To The World
by William Dean A. Garner
The grand plan of The First Sphere of Influence is to create a global mononation. Mononation is one state. It has one government.
One set of laws for all ordinary citizens, no laws for the elite.
Bank For International Settlements (BIS): How The Rothschilds Control And Dictate To The World by William Dean A. Garner
For decades, people have urged me, pushed me, prodded me, practically peeled off my skin, pulled out my eyes, and yanked out my brain to prove it, i.e. show them the data, the results, the books, manuals, pamphlets, journals, monographs, voice and video recordings, all the resources I have used to make the statements I do about the Brzezinski Cartel and the Rothschilds. ... On the evening of St. Patrick’s Day 2010, I feel now is the time . . . but with a twist. ... The list below shows 165 different ways how The First Sphere of Influence (Rothschilds and Brzezinski Cartel) controls the world. One hundred and sixty-five reasons to believe what I say to be 100% accurate and true. ... Each entry is a separate and distinct central bank, located in a separate and distinct part of the world. These central banks cover the globe and know absolutely no boundaries, effectively erasing borders between even sworn enemies. ... The BIS (pronounced BIZZ) is the Rothschild’s piggy bank, a veritable deep-pit mine, the equivalent of quadrillions of dollars. quadrillion quad·ril’lion adj.
1. The cardinal number equal to 1015. 2. Chiefly British. Septillion.
What’s the significance of having a central bank within a country and why should you concern yourself, your family and colleagues?
Central banks are illegally created PRIVATE banks that are owned by the Rothschild banking family. The family has been around for more than 230 years and has slithered its way into each country on this planet, threatened every world leader and their governments and cabinets with physical and economic death and destruction, and then emplaced their own people in these central banks to control and manage each country’s pocketbook. Worse, the Rothschilds also control the machinations of each government at the macro level, not concerning themselves with the daily vicissitudes of our individual personal lives. Except when we get too far out of line.
The grand plan of The First Sphere of Influence is to create a global mononation. Please do not confuse this with the term globalization. Mononation and globalization couldn’t be more different in concept, scope and purpose. Mononation is one state. It has one government. One set of laws for all ordinary citizens, no laws for the elite. Globalization refers to communicating, trading, interacting, etc. among separate, different, independent, sovereign countries.
The grand plan of The First Sphere of Influence is to create a global mononation.
Our own Federal Reserve is an illegally emplaced private bank that is directly responsible for creating all the US’s depressions, recessions, and the inflation and deflation of our dollar. The Fed controls the printing of our own currency, and then charges the US government interest on those loans. The interest is growing each year, making it difficult if not impossible for our government to pay it. How do we pay this interest? By the US Personal Income Tax. This tax goes to the Rothschild family.
In the coming months, as I continue to gather intel and write a book about The First Sphere of Influence, I will share more and more. For now, I kindly ask that you read each of the 165 lines below. One hundred and sixty-five reasons to believe my intel. You can click on each bank and visit its website. I’ve seen each one. They’re real. And they’re one of the reasons why each country is in such deep debt to this insidious family, the Rothschilds.
By the way, if you’re curious what the US debt is to the BIS, please refer to the table at the end of this article, taken from the latest statistical results provided by the Joint External Debt Hub, which receives data from the BIS, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. BIS Offices
Representative Office for Asia and the Pacific 78th floor, Two International Finance Centre 8 Finance Street, Central Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China Telephone: (+852) 2878 7100 Fax: (+852) 2878 7123
Representative Office for the Americas Torre Chapultepec Rubén Darío 281 – 17th floor Col. Bosque de Chapultepec Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11580 México, D.F. México Telephone: (+52) 55 91380290 Fax: (+52) 55 91380299 The Rothschild-Owned Central Banks of the World
Afghanistan: Bank of Afghanistan Albania: Bank of Albania Algeria: Bank of Algeria Argentina: Central Bank of Argentina Armenia: Central Bank of Armenia Aruba: Central Bank of Aruba Australia: Reserve Bank of Australia Austria: Austrian National Bank Azerbaijan: Central Bank of Azerbaijan Republic Bahamas: Central Bank of The Bahamas Bahrain: Central Bank of Bahrain Bangladesh: Bangladesh Bank Barbados: Central Bank of Barbados Belarus: National Bank of the Republic of Belarus Belgium: National Bank of Belgium Belize: Central Bank of Belize Benin: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Bermuda: Bermuda Monetary Authority Bhutan: Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan Bolivia: Central Bank of Bolivia Bosnia: Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana: Bank of Botswana Brazil: Central Bank of Brazil Bulgaria: Bulgarian National Bank Burkina Faso: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Burundi: Bank of the Republic of Burundi Cambodia: National Bank of Cambodia Cameroon: Bank of Central African States Canada: Bank of Canada - Banque du Canada Cayman Islands: Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Central African Republic: Bank of Central African States Chad: Bank of Central African States Chile: Central Bank of Chile China: The People’s Bank of China Colombia: Bank of the Republic Comoros: Central Bank of Comoros Congo: Bank of Central African States Costa Rica: Central Bank of Costa Rica Côte d’Ivoire: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Croatia: Croatian National Bank Cuba: Central Bank of Cuba Cyprus: Central Bank of Cyprus Czech Republic: Czech National Bank Denmark: National Bank of Denmark Dominican Republic: Central Bank of the Dominican Republic East Caribbean area: Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Ecuador: Central Bank of Ecuador Egypt: Central Bank of Egypt El Salvador: Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador Equatorial Guinea: Bank of Central African States Estonia: Bank of Estonia Ethiopia: National Bank of Ethiopia European Union: European Central Bank Fiji: Reserve Bank of Fiji Finland: Bank of Finland France: Bank of France Gabon: Bank of Central African States The Gambia: Central Bank of The Gambia Georgia: National Bank of Georgia Germany: Deutsche Bundesbank Ghana: Bank of Ghana Greece: Bank of Greece Guatemala: Bank of Guatemala Guinea Bissau: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Guyana: Bank of Guyana Haiti: Central Bank of Haiti Honduras: Central Bank of Honduras Hong Kong: Hong Kong Monetary Authority Hungary: Magyar Nemzeti Bank Iceland: Central Bank of Iceland India: Reserve Bank of India Indonesia: Bank Indonesia Iran: The Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran Iraq: Central Bank of Iraq Ireland: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Israel: Bank of Israel Italy: Bank of Italy Jamaica: Bank of Jamaica Japan: Bank of Japan Jordan: Central Bank of Jordan Kazakhstan: National Bank of Kazakhstan Kenya: Central Bank of Kenya Korea: Bank of Korea Kuwait: Central Bank of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan: National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic Latvia: Bank of Latvia Lebanon: Central Bank of Lebanon Lesotho: Central Bank of Lesotho Libya: Central Bank of Libya Lithuania: Bank of Lithuania Luxembourg: Central Bank of Luxembourg Macao: Monetary Authority of Macao Macedonia: National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia Madagascar: Central Bank of Madagascar Malawi: Reserve Bank of Malawi Malaysia: Central Bank of Malaysia Mali: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Malta: Central Bank of Malta Mauritius: Bank of Mauritius Mexico: Bank of Mexico Moldova: National Bank of Moldova Mongolia: Bank of Mongolia Montenegro: Central Bank of Montenegro Morocco: Bank of Morocco Mozambique: Bank of Mozambique Namibia: Bank of Namibia Nepal: Central Bank of Nepal Netherlands: Netherlands Bank Netherlands Antilles: Bank of the Netherlands Antilles New Zealand: Reserve Bank of New Zealand Nicaragua: Central Bank of Nicaragua Niger: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Nigeria: Central Bank of Nigeria Norway: Central Bank of Norway Oman: Central Bank of Oman Pakistan: State Bank of Pakistan Papua New Guinea: Bank of Papua New Guinea Paraguay: Central Bank of Paraguay Peru: Central Reserve Bank of Peru Philippines: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Poland: National Bank of Poland Portugal: Bank of Portugal Qatar: Qatar Central Bank Romania: National Bank of Romania Russia: Central Bank of Russia Rwanda: National Bank of Rwanda San Marino: Central Bank of the Republic of San Marino Samoa: Central Bank of Samoa Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency Senegal: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Serbia: National Bank of Serbia Seychelles: Central Bank of Seychelles Sierra Leone: Bank of Sierra Leone Singapore: Monetary Authority of Singapore Slovakia: National Bank of Slovakia Slovenia: Bank of Slovenia Solomon Islands: Central Bank of Solomon Islands South Africa: South African Reserve Bank Spain: Bank of Spain Sri Lanka: Central Bank of Sri Lanka Sudan: Bank of Sudan Surinam: Central Bank of Suriname Swaziland: The Central Bank of Swaziland Sweden: Sveriges Riksbank Switzerland: Swiss National Bank Tajikistan: National Bank of Tajikistan Tanzania: Bank of Tanzania Thailand: Bank of Thailand Togo: Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) Tonga: National Reserve Bank of Tonga Trinidad and Tobago: Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia: Central Bank of Tunisia Turkey: Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Uganda: Bank of Uganda Ukraine: National Bank of Ukraine United Arab Emirates: Central Bank of United Arab Emirates United Kingdom: Bank of England United States: The Dirty Nasty Stinky Fed, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Uruguay: Central Bank of Uruguay Vanuatu: Reserve Bank of Vanuatu Venezuela: Central Bank of Venezuela Vietnam: The State Bank of Vietnam Yemen: Central Bank of Yemen Zambia: Bank of Zambia Zimbabwe: Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: William Dean A. Garner is a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter and editor of many fiction and nonfiction books. A former biophysicist, US Army Airborne Ranger, and Corporate Mercenary, Garner did 211 overseas missions over a nine-year period, escorting clients out of hostile territories so they could have a voice of peace, freedom and liberty. He writes and speaks about the dangers of The First Sphere of Influence, a global cartel controlled by the fam.ily Rothchild.
Kabbalistic Tradition
Care2 Jacob Rothschild, the current head of the Rothschild dynasty, has intermarried with the Sinclair family, forging an important alliance between the head family of the Illuminati, and the supposed descendants of the Grail family.
As has been popularized recently by Dan Brown in the Da Vinci Code, or before him by the Holy Blood, Holy Grail, the Stuarts of Scotland are supposedly descended from King Arthur and Jesus Christ. These families are of course not descended from Jesus. The idea is preposterous. But they are related to the Holy Grail, and they are not Christians, but Kabbalists.
In reality, they, like all the aristocratic bloodlines that form the core of the Illuminati, are descended from Guillaume de Gellone of the eighth century AD. Guillaume's father was Rabbi Makhir, among the Exilarchs who ruled the Jews in Baghdad, who was sent West after a dispute over the successorship. In France, he took the name Theodoric, married Alda, the aunt of Charlemagne, and was appointed “King of the Jews” in the region of the Languedoc, with his capital the city of Narbonne.
Narbonne then became the heartland of the Medieval Kabbalah. The Kabbalists of Narbonne seem to have been responsible for instigating the Crusades, in order to retrieve sacred texts that had been buried there, but which had been unaccessible because of first the rule of the Romans, and then the Muslims. Once Jerusalem was conquered, a Kabbalistic order of knights known as the Templars conducted excavations, and discovered the text of the Sepher ha Bahir, which revived the lost mystical tradition, and set off the cultural revolution of the Medieval Kabbalah.
Another aspect of the penetration of these Kabbalistic ideas was the heresy of the Cathars. The Cathar foothold was in the region of Tolouse, the bastion of the descendants of Guillaume, also known as the family of the Guilhemids, several of whom were ardent defenders of the heresy. However, the Cathars have been idealized by numerous Illuminati propagandists as having been innocent victims of Church persecutions, but the Cathars rejected the God of the Bible, in favour of the worship of Lucifer and practiced witchcraft. It was the Cathars who influenced the heretical aspects of the Templars, for which the order was disbanded in 1307.
Part of this Kabbalistic revolution was the legends of the Holy Grail, which included Cathar and Templar themes, and formulated in the region of Aquitaine, another stronghold of the Guilhemids. The Holy Grail, or San Greal, should have been translated as Sang Real, or Royal Blood, because it referred to the sacred bloodline that supposedly issued from Guillaume de Gellone, and ultimately King David, but which in reality, was understood to represent the descendants of the Fallen Angels, and their leader, Lucifer.
The Sinclairs were descendants of Guillaume de Gellone, through his great-great-granddaughter, Poppa of Bavaria, who married the Viking leader, Rollo Ragnvaldsson. Among Rollo's descendants was William the Conqueror of Normandy. The Sinclairs, or St. Clair, were given various other castles around France. However, they all went to England with the Conqueror. One Sinclair, though, named William, did not like the Conqueror, so with some other discontented barons, he went to Scotland and placed himself in the service of King Malcolm III of Scotland.
Malcolm III King of Scotland was the father of David I "the Saint" King of Scotland. In 1128, soon after the Council of Troyes, Hugh de Payens, the Templars' first Grand Master, met with King David I of Scotland. King David later surrounded himself with Templars, and appointed them as "the Guardians of his morals by day and night".
David married the grand-daughter of Lambert II, the brother of Godefroi de Bouillon, leader of the first crusade, and the sister of sister of William the Conqueror. Godefroi's younger brother, Eustace III, married David's sister, Mary Scots. Their daughter married Stephen I King of England, the son Adela de Normandie, the daughter of William the Conqueror. Adela's brother, Henry I King of England, married David's sister, Editha of Scotland. Their daughter, Mathilda Empress of England, married Geoffrey V, Comte d'Anjou, whose son Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine.
King David granted Hugues and his knights the lands of Balantrodoch, by the Firth of Forth, but now renamed Temple, near the site of Rosslyn. And, legend has it that, when the Templars came under trial, their leader de Molay arranged for the Templar to return to Scotland, where they assisted Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn.
Robert the Bruce claimed the Scottish throne as a great-great-great-great grandson of David. Walter Stewart, the sixth High Steward of Scotland, also played an important part in the Battle of Bannockburn. Walter Stewart then married Majory, daughter of Robert the Bruce, and their son Robert II of Scotland was heir to the House of Bruce; he eventually inherited the Scottish throne after his uncle David II of Scotland died.
In Scotland, the Templars served Robert the Bruce as members of the Scots Guard, of which two prominent families were those of the Stuarts and the Sinclairs. Henry Sinclair was a supporter of Robert the Bruce, and one of his descendants, William Sinclair, designed Rosslyn Chapel, a church in the village of Roslin, replete with occult symbolism, and believed to be one of the sites where the Grail might be buried. Finally, the Sinclairs became the Hereditary Grand Masters of the Masons of Scotland.
After Queen Elizabeth died without an heir, she was succeeded by the son of Mary Queen of Scots, James Stewart I of England, also known as King James. It is for this reason that the Freemasons of the eighteenth century conspired to back the Stuart cause, after their last monarch, James II Stuart, King of England, was deposed, and replaced by William of Orange. The Stuart cause then became the essence of Scottish Rite Freemasonry, which regarded the Stuarts as the inheritors of the Templars, who had rescued the secret tradition of the East, otherwise known as the Kabbalah.
Since the late eighteenth century, however, the Illuminati have come under the leadership of the Rothschild family. The founder of the dynasty, Mayer Amschel Rothschild, ordered his sons to marry only their first cousins, continuing the careful intermarrying practiced by their predecessors.
However, the first exception was Hannah, the daughter of Amschel Mayer's son, the notorious Nathan Mayer Rothschild, who married the Rt. Hon. Henry Fitzroy, a direct descendant of Charles II Stuart King of England, the father of James II.
More recently, however, is the great-great-great grandson of Nathan Mayer, Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild, who married Mary Serena Dunn. The mother of Mary Serena was Lady Mary Sybil St. Clair-Erskine, who was the daughter of James Francis Harry St. Clair-Erskine, 5th Earl of Rosslyn.
Jacob Rothschild is the current head of the UK Rothschild family, having inherited the fourth baronetcy from his father, Victor, an eminent zoologist, and sometime MI5 agent and friend of KGB agents Anthony Blunt and Guy Burgess. Jacob resigned from the family's bank NM Rothschilds in 1980, run by his cousin Evelyn, and started RIT Capital Partners.
Jacob Rothschild resigned from the family's bank NM Rothschilds in 1980, run by his cousin Evelyn, and started RIT Capital Partners. He is chairman of Yad Hanadiv, the Rothschild foundation, which built and gave the Knesset government buildings and the Supreme Court to Israel, and chairs the Jewish Policy Research, dedicated to promoting issues affecting Jews worldwide.
Jacob Rothschild is chairman of Yad Hanadiv, the Rothschild foundation, which chairs the Jewish Policy Research, dedicated to promoting issues affecting Jews worldwide. Yad Hanadiv was also responsible for building and granting the Knesset government buildings, and the Supreme Court of Israel, which prominently features Masonic symbolism and the pyramid and all-seeing eye of the Illuminati.
Jacob Rothschild was a close personal friend of the Princess Diana, and maintains strong personal and business links with Henry Kissinger. He knows Rupert Murdoch well, having been friends since the Australian newspaper proprietor first came to the UK in the 1960s. His country estate has been a regular venue for visiting heads of state including Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Margaret Thatcher received French President François Mitterrand there at a summit in 1990. He hosted the European Economic Round Table conference in 2002, attended by such figures
as James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, Nicky Oppenheimer, Warren Buffet and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Rothschild family (known as The House of Rothschild,[1] or more simply as the Rothschilds) is a European family of German Jewish origin that established European banking and finance houses from the late eighteenth century. Five lines of the Austrian branch of the family were elevated into the Austrian nobility, being given hereditary baronies of the Habsburg Empire by Emperor Francis II in 1816. The British branch of the family was elevated into the British nobility by Queen Victoria.[2][3] It has been argued that during the 19th century, the family possessed by far the largest private fortune in the world, and by far the largest fortune in modern history.[3][4] Origins
The family's rise to European prominence began with Mayer Amschel Rothschild (born Frankfurt am Main, Germany 1744), the son of Amschel Moses Rothschild,[5] a money changer. Born in the ghetto (called "Judengasse" or Jew Alley) of Frankfurt, he developed a finance house and spread his empire by installing each of his five sons in European cities to conduct business. Unlike the old court Jews, the new kind of international firm the Rothschilds created was impervious to local attack. In 1819, as if to demonstrate that newly acquired Jewish rights were illusionary so far, anti-Semitic violence broke out in many parts of Germany. These Hep-Hep riots as they were called, included an assault on the Rothschild house in Frankfurt. It made no difference. Nor did a further attack during the 1848 revolution. The money was no longer there. It was paper, circulating through the world. The Rothschilds completed a process the Jews had been working on for centuries: how to immunize their lawful property from despoiling violence. Henceforth their real wealth was beyond the reach of the mobs, almost beyond the reach of greedy monarchs.[6] Another essential part of Mayer Rothschild's strategy for future success was to keep control of their businesses in family hands, allowing them to maintain full discretion about the size of their wealth and their business achievements. About 1906, the Jewish Encyclopedia noted: "The practise initiated by the Rothschilds of having several brothers of a firm establish branches in the different financial centers was followed by other Jewish financiers, like the Bischoffsheims, Pereires, Seligmans, Lazards, and others, and these financiers by their integrity and financial skill obtained credit not alone with their Jewish confrères, but with the banking fraternity in general. By this means Jewish financiers obtained an increasing share of international finance during the middle and last quarter of the nineteenth century. The head of the whole group was the Rothschild family...". It also states: "Of more recent years, non-Jewish financiers have learned the same cosmopolitan method, and, on the whole, the control is now rather less than more in Jewish hands than formerly."[7] This practice followed a royal and aristocratic technique, which also was copied later by business dynasties such as the Du Pont family.[8]
Mayer Rothschild successfully kept the fortune in the family with carefully arranged marriages, including between first or second cousins, although by the later 19th century, almost all Rothschilds had started to marry outside the family, usually into the aristocracy or other financial dynasties.[8] His sons were:
The Rothschild coat of arms contains a clenched fist with five arrows symbolizing the five sons of Mayer Rothschild, a reference to Psalm 127: "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior". The family motto appears below the shield, in Latin, Concordia, Integritas, Industria, (Harmony, Integrity, Industry).[9] The German family name means "Red Shield". Today, it would be spelled "Rotschild", and is pronounced approximately ROTE-shillt in German, not wroth(s)-child as it is in English.
The Rothschilds already possessed a very significant fortune before the start of Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), and Nathan Mayer Rothschild gained preeminence in the bullion trade at this time.[10] From London in 1813 to 1815, he was instrumental in the financing of the British war effort, financing the shipment of bullion to the Duke of Wellington's armies across Europe, as well as arranging the payment of British financial subsidies to their Continental allies. In 1815 alone, the Rothschilds provided £9.8 million (in 1815 currency prices) in subsidy loans to Britain's continental allies.[11]
The brothers helped co-ordinate Rothschild activities across the continent, and the family developed a network of agents, shippers and couriers to transport gold across war-torn Europe. The family network was also to provide Nathan Rothschild time and again with political and financial information ahead of his peers, giving him an advantage in the markets and rendering the house of Rothschild still more invaluable to the British government. In one instance, the family network enabled Nathan to receive in London the news of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo a full day ahead of the government's official messengers.[10]
The basis for the Rothschild's most famously profitable move was made after the news of British victory had been made public. Nathan Rothschild calculated that the future reduction in government borrowing brought about by the peace would create a bounce in British government bonds after a two year stabilisation, which would finalise the post-war re-structuring of the domestic economy.[11][12][13] In what has been described as one of the most audacious moves in financial history, Nathan immediately bought up the government bond market, for what at the time seemed an excessively high price, before waiting two years, then selling the bonds on the crest of short bounce in the market in 1817 for a 40% profit. Given the sheer power of leverage the Rothschild family had at its disposal, this profit was an enormous sum.[11]
Contrary to stories emanating from an article about the family in a late nineteenth-century magazine with decidedly antisemitic undertones, Rothschild's first concern on this occasion was not the potential financial advantage on the market which the knowledge would have given him; he and his courier immediately took the news to the government.[10] It is believed that this is a myth that originated in a partisan French pamphlet in 1846 and was embellished by John Reeves in 1887 in The Rothschilds: the Financial Rulers of Nations. It was then repeated in later popular accounts, such as that of Morton.[12][13]
Nathan Mayer Rothschild initially started his business in Manchester England in 1806, and gradually moved it to London, where in 1809 he acquired the location at 2 New Court in St. Swithin's Lane, City of London,[10] where it operates today; he established N. M. Rothschild and Sons in 1811. In 1818, he arranged a £5 million loan to the Prussian government, and the issuing of bonds for government loans formed a mainstay of his bank’s business. He gained a position of such power in the City of London that by 1825–6 he was able to supply enough coin to the Bank of England to enable it to avert a market liquidity crisis.
International High Finance
In 1816, four of the brothers were each elevated to the hereditary nobility by Austrian Emperor Francis I; Nathan was elevated in 1818. All of them were granted the Austrian title of baron or Freiherr on 29 September 1822. As such, some members of the family used "de" or "von" Rothschild to acknowledge the grant of nobility. In 1885, Nathan Mayer Rothschild II (1840–1915) of the London branch of the family, was granted the hereditary peerage title Baron Rothschild in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
Rothschild family banking businesses pioneered international high finance during the industrialisation of Europe and were instrumental in supporting railway systems across the world and in complex government financing for projects such as the Suez Canal. The family bought up a large proportion of the property in Mayfair, London. Major businesses directly founded by Rothschild family capital include Alliance Assurance (1824) (now Royal & SunAlliance); Chemin de Fer du Nord (1845); Rio Tinto Group (1873); Société Le Nickel (1880) (now Eramet); and Imétal (1962) (now Imerys). The Rothschilds financed the founding of De Beers, as well as Cecil Rhodes on his expeditions in Africa and the creation of the colony of Rhodesia. From the late 1880s onwards, the family controlled the Rio Tinto mining company.
The Japanese government approached the London and Paris families for funding during the Russo-Japanese War. The London consortium's issue of Japanese war bonds would total £11.5 million (at 1907 currency rates).[15]
After amassing huge fortunes, the name Rothschild became synonymous with extravagance and great wealth, and the family was renowned for its art collecting, for its palaces, as well as for its philanthropy. By the end of the century, the family owned, or had built, at the lowest estimates, over 41 palaces, of a scale and luxury perhaps unparalleled even by the richest Royal families.[11] The soon to be British Prime Minister Lloyd George claimed, in 1909, that Lord Nathan Rothschild was the most powerful man in Britain.[16][3]
In 1901, with no male heir to take it on, the Frankfurt House closed its doors after more than a century in business. It was not until 1989 that they returned when N M Rothschild & Sons, the British investment arm, plus Bank Rothschild AG, the Swiss branch, set up a representative banking office in Frankfurt.
There are two branches of the family connected to France. The first was son James Mayer de Rothschild (1792–1868), known as "James", who established de Rothschild Frères in Paris. Following the Napoleonic Wars, he played a major role in financing the construction of railroads and the mining business that helped make France an industrial power. James' sons Gustave de Rothschild and Alphonse James de Rothschild continued the banking tradition and was the guarantor of the 5 billion in reparations [17] demanded by the occupying Prussian army in the 1870s Franco-Prussian War.[citation needed] Ensuing generations of the Paris Rothschild family remained involved in the family business, becoming a major force in international investment banking. The Rothschilds have since led the Thomson Financial League Tables in Investment Banking Merger and Acquisition deals in the UK, France and Italy.
In 1961, the 35 year old Baron Edmond purchased the company Club Med, after he had visited a resort and enjoyed his stay.[18][19] His interest in Club Med was sold off by the 1990s. In 1973, he bought out the Bank of California, selling his interests in 1984 before it was sold to Mitsubishi Bank in 1985.
The second French branch was founded by Nathaniel de Rothschild (1812–1870). Born in London he was the fourth child of the founder of the British branch of the family, Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777–1836). In 1850, Nathaniel Rothschild moved to Paris, ostensibly to work with his uncle, James Mayer Rothschild. However, in 1853 Nathaniel acquired Château Brane Mouton, a vineyard in Pauillac in the Girondedépartement. Nathaniel Rothschild renamed the estate, Château Mouton Rothschild and it would become one of the best known labels in the world. In 1868, Nathaniel's uncle, James Mayer de Rothschild acquired the neighboring Chateau Lafite vineyard. By 1980, Guy de Rothschild's business had an annual turnover of 26 billion francs (in the currency rates of 1980).[20] But then the Paris business suffered a near death blow in 1982 when the Socialist government of François Mitterrand nationalized and renamed it Compagnie Européenne de Banque.[needs citation] Baron David de Rothschild, then 39, decided to stay and rebuild, creating a new entity Rothschild & Cie Banque with just three employees and $1 million in capital. Today, the Paris operation has 22 partners and accounts for a significant part of the global business.
Austrian branch
In Vienna, Salomon Mayer Rothschild established a bank in the 1820s and the family became admired and respected citizens. The Austrian Rothschilds were elevated to nobility by the Austrian emperor for their services. The crash of 1929 brought problems, and Baron Louis von Rothschild attempted to shore up the Creditanstalt, Austria's largest bank, to prevent its collapse. Nevertheless, during World War II they had to surrender their bank to the Nazis and flee the country. Their Rothschild palaces, a collection of vast palaces in Vienna built and owned by the family, were confiscated, plundered and destroyed by the Nazis. The palaces were famous for their sheer size, and for their huge collections of paintings, armour, tapestries, statues (some of which were restituted to the Rothschilds by the Austrian government in 1999). All family members escaped the Holocaust, some of them moving to the United States, and only returning to Europe after the war. In 1999, the government of Austria agreed to return to the Rothschild family some 250 art treasures looted by the Nazis and absorbed into state museums after the war.
Naples branch
The C M de Rothschild & Figli bank arranged substantial loans to the Papal States and to various Kings of Naples plus the Duchy of Parma and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. However, in the 1830s, Naples followed Spain with a gradual shift away from conventional bond issues that began to affect the bank's growth and profitability. The Unification of Italy in 1861, with the ensuing decline of the Italian aristocracy who had been the Rothschild's primary clients, eventually brought about the closure of their Naples bank, due to declining profits, growth and their forecasts for long-term business sustainability.
Jewish Identity and Positions on Zionism
Some Rothschilds were supporters of Zionism, although other members of the family opposed the creation of the Jewish state on the grounds that it would encourage anti-Semites to question the existing national identities of assimilated Jews around the rest of the world.[17] In 1917 Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild was the addressee of the Balfour Declaration to the Zionist Federation,[21] which committed the British government to the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. Later, Lord Victor Rothschild was against granting asylum or even help to Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.[17]
After the death of James Jacob de Rothschild in 1868, Alphonse Rothschild, his oldest son, who took over the management of the family bank, was the most active in support for Eretz Israel.[22] The Rothschild family archives show that during the 1870s the family contributed nearly 500,000 francs per year on behalf of Eastern Jewry to the Alliance Israélite Universelle.[23] Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, James Jacob de Rothschild's's youngest son was a patron of the first settlement in Palestine at Rishon-LeZion, and bought from Ottoman landlords parts of the land which now makes up present-day Israel. In 1924, he established the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association (PICA), which acquired more than 125,000 acres (22,36 km²) of land and set up business ventures.[24] In Tel Aviv, he has a road, Rothschild Boulevard, named after him as well as various localities throughout Israel which he assisted in founding including Metulla, Zikhron Ya'akov, Rishon Lezion, and Rosh Pina. A park in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, the Parc Edmond de Rothschild (Edmond de Rothschild Park) is also named after its founder.[25]
The Rothschilds also played a significant part in the funding of Israel's governmental infrastructure. James A. de Rothschild financed the Knesset building as a gift to the State of Israel[26] and the Supreme Court of Israel building was donated to Israel by Dorothy de Rothschild.[27] Outside the President's Chamber is displayed the letter Mrs. Rothschild wrote to the then current Prime Minister Shimon Peres expressing her intention to donate a new building for the Supreme Court.[28]
Modern business
Since the end of the 19th century, the family has taken a low-key public profile, donating many of their most famous estates, as well as vast quantities of art, to charity, keeping full anonymity about the size of their fortunes, and eschewing conspicuous displays of wealth.[29] The family once had one of the largest private art collections in the world, and a significant proportion of the art in the world's public museums are Rothschild donations which were sometimes, in the family tradition of discretion, donated anonymously.[30]
In July 2003, a major reorganization of the Rothschild business structure took place when the two main London and Paris investment banks were united through a new Dutch-registered master holding company, Concordia BV, under the chairmanship of Baron David René de Rothschild. Under this banner, Rothschild et Cie Banque controls the Rothschild banking businesses in France and continental Europe, while Rothschilds Continuation Holdings AG controls the Rothschild banking elsewhere, including N M Rothschild & Sons in London.[31] Twenty percent of Rothschild Continuation Holdings AG was sold in 2005 to Jardine Strategic, which is a subsidiary of Jardine, Matheson & Co. of Hong Kong. In November 2008, Rabobank Group, the leading investment and commercial bank in the Netherlands, acquired 7.5% of Rothschild Continuation Holdings AG, and Rabobank and Rothschild entered into a co-operation agreement in the fields of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) advisory and Equity Capital Markets advisory in the food and agribusiness sectors.[32] It was believed that the move was intended to help Rothschild Continuation Holdings AG gain access to a wider capital pool, enlarging its presence in East Asian markets.[33]
A London investment bank, N M Rothschild & Sons does most of its business as a mergers and acquisitions advisor. In 2004, the investment bank withdrew from the gold market, a commodity the Rothschild bankers had traded in for two centuries.[17] In 2006, it ranked second in UK M&A with deals totalling $104.9 billion.[34] In 2006, it publicly recorded a pre-tax annual profit of £83.2 million with assets of £5.5 billion.[35]
One member of the French branch of the family, Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild (1926–1997) founded the LCF Rothschild Group, based in Geneva, with €100 billion in assets, which today extends to 15 countries across the world. Although this Group is primarily a financial entity, specialising in asset management and private banking, its activities also cover mixed farming, luxury hotels, and yacht racing. The LCF Rothschild Group's committee is currently being chaired by Benjamin de Rothschild, Baron Edmond's son.
To this day, the family maintains a close relationship with the Rio Tinto mining corporation. The Rothschild family also owns many wine estates: their estates in France include Château Clarke, Château de Ferrières, Château des Fontaines, Château Lafite, Château de Laversine, Château des Laurets, Château Malmaison, Château de Montvillargenne, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château de la Muette, Château Rothschild d'Armainvilliers, Château Rothschild, Boulogne-Billancourt. They also own wine estates across North America, South America, South Africa and Australia.
In 1980, Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild resigned from N M Rothschild & Sons and took independent control of Rothschild Investment Trust (now RIT Capital Partners, one of the UK's largest investment trusts.) He went on to found J. Rothschild Assurance Group (now St James's Place Capital) with Sir Mark Weinberg in 1991.[36] In December 2009, Jacob Rothschild invested $200 million of his own money in a North Sea Oil company. He also currently chairs another Rothschild family investment trust, RIT Capital Partners, which has reported assets of $3.4 billion in 2008.[37][38] In January 2010, Nathaniel Philip Rothschild bought a substantial share of the Glencore mining and oil company's market capitalization. He is also buying a large share of the aluminium mining company United Company RUSAL.[39]
Popular culture references
In the words of the Daily Telegraph: "This multinational banking family is a byword for wealth, power – and discretion... The Rothschild name has become synonymous with money and power to a degree that no other family has ever matched."[40]
In France, the word "Rothschild" was throughout the 19th and 20th centuries a synonym for seemingly endless wealth, neo-Gothic styles, Byzantine splendour, grand manners and epicurean glamour.[41] The family also has lent its name to "le goût Rothschild," a suffocatingly glamorous style of living whose decorative elements include neo-Renaissance palaces, extravagant use of velvet and gilding, vast collections of armour and sculpture, a sense of Victorianhorror vacui, and the highest masterworks of art. Le goût Rothschild has much influenced interior designers such as Robert Denning, Vincent Fourcade, and others.
The name Rothschild used as a synonym for extreme wealth inspired the song "If I Were a Rich Man", which is based on a song from the Tevye the Dairyman stories, written in the Yiddish as Ven ikh bin Rotshild, meaning "If I were a Rothschild".
The German surnames "Rothschild" and "Rothchild" are not related to the Protestant surname "Rothchilds" from the United Kingdom. The surname "Rothschild" is originally derived from "Rote Schild". This is the German phrase for Red Shield and refers to the red shield emblem that used to be over the doorway to the original bank owned by the Bauer family in Frankfurt.
Conspiracy theories
Over more than two centuries,[12][13] the Rothschild family has frequently been the target of conspiracy theories.[42][43][44] These theories take differing forms, such as claiming that the family belongs to the Illuminati,[45] or controls the world's wealth and financial institutions.[46][47] Supposedly, the Rothschild family encouraged wars between governments. Discussing this and similar views, the historian Niall Ferguson wrote: "As we have seen, however, wars tended to hit the price of existing bonds by increasing the risk that a debtor state would fail to meet its interest payments in the event of defeat and losses of territory. By the middle of the 19th century, the Rothschilds had evolved from traders into fund managers, carefully tending to their own vast portfolio of government bonds. Now having made their money, they stood to lose more than they gained from conflict. The Rothschilds had decided the outcome of the Napoleonic Wars by putting their financial weight behind Britain. Now they would.. sit on the sidelines."[48]
Prominent descendants of Mayer Amschel Rothschild
Prominent lineal descendants of Mayer Amschel Rothschild include amongst many others:
References
Princess Agnès de La Tour d'Auvergne-Lauraguais, (born 1972)[citation needed]
Lady Pamela Wellesley Grant, (born 1912), great-great-grand-daughter of The Duke of Wellington, married Lieutenant Charles Robert Archibald Grant, great-great-grandson of Mayer Amschel de Rothschild
^Aharonson, Ran (2000). Rothschild and early Jewish colonization in Palestine. Israel: The Hebrew university Magnes Press, Jerusalem. p. 53. ISBN0-7425-0914-1.
^Aharonson, Ran (2000). Rothschild and early Jewish colonization in Palestine. Israel: The Hebrew university Magnes Press, Jerusalem. p. 54. ISBN0-7425-0914-1.
^Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel, vol. 2, "Rothschild, Baron Edmond-James de," p.966
Egon Caesar Conte Corti: Rise of the House of Rothschild, B. Lunn (translator), Books for Business 2001 (reprint of 1928 translation published by Gollancz), ISBN 978-0894990588, Amazon.co.uk searchable online view
Joseph Valynseele & Henri-Claude Mars, Le Sang des Rothschild, L’Intermédiaire des Chercheurs et Curieux, Paris, 2004 (ISBN 2-908003-22-8)
Derek A. Wilson: Rothschild: A Story of Wealth and Power (ISBN 0-233-98870-X)
Violent UK Immigration Protests Resulting From Stabbing Murder Of Children At Taylor Swift Dance Class Part One
Axel Rudakubana UK Children Murder Suspect Named
Axel Rudakubana UK Children Murder Suspect Named
Community in mourning after three girls killed in knife attack
Teen 17 accused of Southport UK Murders BBC
Two of the INL News Group's historical website INJLNews.com and AWN.bz which were established in 2008 are now heading to becoming top ranking websites in the USA
Two of the INL News Group's Historical News and Information Websites INLNews.com and AWN.bz which were established in 2008 are now heading to becoming top ranking websites in the USA
Please Note that because INLNews.com and AWN.bz were build on old outdated website building software, they can not be edited in any way, and are this stuck in their historical format as they were built in 2008... the INL News Groups web building staff are working hard to rebuild these websites with similar domains names such as
Suspect named as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana as Starmer announces new 'capability' to curb riots - BBC NewsPolice officers injured and building set on fire in Sunderland unrest
What we know about the Southport stabbings as murder suspect named as Axel Rudakubana
Southport UK stabbing suspect, 17, is named for the first time as he appears in court charged with murdering three little girls at Taylor Swift-themed dance class and harming 10 others with a 'curved kitchen knife'
A court sketch of Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who appeared at Liverpool Crown Court earlier
Axel Rudakubana in court. Court artist credit: Helen Tipper
Police probing viral video showing 'black or ethnic origin' man punched
1 August 2024
André Rhoden-Paul Live reporter
It is good to know André Rhoden-Paul is a Live Reporter not a dead reporter like many Palestinian reporters in Gaza who have been deliberated targeted and murdered by Israel's IDF under orders of Israel's Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing criminal prosecutions for war crimes for ordering the murders, wounding and starvation of over one million Palestinian woman and children in Gaza by the International Court of Justice
The man in the beige coloured jacket is punched by a man with a cap wearing a blue, white and red T-shirt
Police are investigating the assault of a young person of colour in Hartlepool who was punched in the face in an attack that has gone viral.
A screen recording of a TikTok live stream posted on social media shows a man, the police describe as "black or ethnic origin", walking along a pavement at night with a crowd of protestors in the road nearby.
A person in the background of the stream can be heard saying "this is unfortunate timing" for the man to be walking down the street, before laughing.
He is then punched in the face by a white man. The punched man then walks back down the street lined with what appears to be police behind riot shields.
BBC News has identified the street where the attack took place as Lowthian Road.
In a statement to the BBC, a Cleveland Police spokeswoman said the force is urging the man punched or anyone who knows him to contact the police.
Firefighters tend to a burning police car in Hartlepool after a violent protest
Rudakubana seen arriving at court in a police convoy
Floral tributes continue to be left around Southport
17 year old teenager charged with murdering three girls in Southport stabbing attack appears in court
Victims Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King. Pic: Merseyside Police
Bebe King, aged six, was also killed in the attack. A teenager is set to appear in court charged with three counts of murder
Floral and written tributes are left alongside balloons and teddy bears at the scene of the stabbings on Hart Street, Southport
Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, was also fatally wounded in the attack which shocked the nation on Monday
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, aged nine, was one of three children killed by a knifeman at a Taylor-Swift themed dance class in Southport
Community in mourning after three girls killed in knife attack
Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King died after the attack
The three girls who were killed in a "ferocious" knife attack at a children's dance workshop have been named by police.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed event on Hart Street, Southport, on Monday.
On Tuesday, there was an emotional vigil on the town's streets, where thousands gathered to remember the three girls.
But there were violent scenes nearby hours later, when 39 police officers were injured - eight seriously - in clashes with rioters, which also saw a mosque attacked and an emergency vehicle set alight.
Tributes have been left close to the scene of the attack on Hart Street
Some of the crowd threw missiles at officers and the mosque.
Merseyside Police said supporters of the far right English Defence League were behind the violence, which Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss described as "sickening".
He said it would have involved "many people who do not live in the Merseyside area or care about the people of Merseyside".
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also condemned the "scenes of thuggery", which she said "bear no relation" to a community that had been coming together to support each other.
As well as the three girls killed in Monday's stabbing, five children and two adults who were injured remain in a critical condition.
Bebe’s family said "no words" could describe the "devastation that has hit our family", while Alice's parents said she would always be "our princess and no-one would change that".
In a tribute from her "Hero Daddy and Mummy", Alice's parents said: "Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do, our princess."
Elsie was described by a teacher at her primary school as "loving and bright" and a "caring and charismatic young lady".
Leanne Lucas was understood to be the teacher running the Taylor Swift-themed dance event
Tributes have also been paid to yoga teacher Leanne Lucas, thought to be 35 and among those currently in hospital, who the BBC understands was running the summer holiday dance and yoga class.
"Your bravery has touched the heart of the nation, we are all praying for you and the families affected," one Instagram user said.
"Thoughts and prayers are with you Leanne, keep fighting," another wrote.
'Shine bright little ones'
Merseyside Police said a 17-year-old boy, from Banks in Lancashire, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, remains in custody.
The force said it was not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack, which it added was not being "treated as terror-related".
The BBC can report that the teenage suspect, whose parents are from Rwanda, was born in Cardiff and moved to the Southport area in 2013.
It is understood that detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing North West have been actively providing support to the investigation.
A police representative said a name shared online in connection with the suspect was "incorrect" and urged people "not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing".
Thousands of people turned out to pay their respects at a vigil in Southport
A personal trainer who intervened in the stabbing told Sky News about "locking eyes" with the attacker.
Joel Verite said he rushed to help after seeing a woman covered in blood and saw the attacker holding a knife at the top of the stairs.
"I open the door downstairs... there's a guy at the bottom of the stairs with a full tracksuit, his hood up, with a knife," he said.
"We've looked at each other and he's scurried off to the side."
He said what he saw would "probably stay with me for the rest of my life".
Thousands of people joined the vigil outside the Atkinson building in Southport, which began at 18:00 BST.
Flowers were laid for those who affected by the attack, while those who had gathered applauded the efforts of the emergency services who had responded.
A minute's silence was observed in honour of the girls who died and those who were injured.
Addressing the crowd, Sefton Mayor June Burns said she hoped the vigil would offer support to the families of those killed and injured, adding that it was "hard to find the words at such a horrendous time".
Local residents have left flowers, cards and teddies by the police cordon close to the scene.
Churches have opened to give people a place to gather and several shops and pubs have closed as a mark of respect.
ocals said the knife attack was the "most unthinkable thing"
Sefton Council said it had launched a dedicated webpage providing information about help and support and would do "whatever it takes” to support the community as it dealt with the impact of "one of the saddest days in the borough’s history".
Council leader Marion Atkinson said there had been some "truly amazing acts of kindness" since the tragic events and while it would "take time for us to come to terms with this... we will stay strong together".
She added that the "offers of support" that the council had received "from across the world [were] much appreciated".
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he came to pay his "respects to the families and the victims"
In total, 11 patients with stab injuries were treated by the ambulance service and some were taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, which declared a major incident.
A spokeswoman for Alder Hey said two of the seven children who had been brought there for treatment remained in "critical care, but currently in a stable condition".
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who followed Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in visiting the scene of the attack, said he had come to pay his "respects to the families and the victims who are going through raw pain and grief".
"As a father myself, I can't imagine what they're going through," he said.
He told emergency crews he was "incredibly proud of what you did" in responding to the attack, adding: "I'm amazed, but not surprised, that you're in today, carrying on with your duties."
"I wanted to shake their hands and say on behalf of the entire country 'thank you for what you did yesterday', because that was no ordinary challenge that they ran towards," Sir Keir said.
"They have saved lives and sometimes it's very important to come and personally say 'thank you'."
'Heinous attack'
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly called for people not to "get involved in the grief of others" by sharing misinformation relating to the attack on social media.
"Enough people are already distressed without their distress being amplified by speculation and gossip online," he added.
Her fans had raised more than £200,000 for the victims' families by Tuesday evening.
Several other fundraisers have also been launched for those caught up in the attack.
King Charles previously paid tribute to "all those affected by this truly appalling attack".
Additional reporting by Chris Long and Monica Rimmer
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Children in Need video of Southport suspect removed
A court sketch of Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday
The BBC has removed a 2018 Children in Need campaign video from its websites after it emerged it featured the Southport stabbing suspect.
Axel Rudakubana, the teenager accused of murdering three girls at a dance class on Monday, appeared in the advert aged 11, as first reported by the Daily Mail.
It is understood that he was contracted by the BBC for the video through a casting agency.
A BBC Children in Need spokesperson confirmed the video has now been removed from all of its platforms out of respect to the victims, adding: “Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone impacted by this shocking case."
The footage shows the teenager dressed as Doctor Who, wearing a tan trench coat and blue suit and tie. He is seen walking out of the Tardis before calling on audiences to "do your thing" for Children in Need.
According to the Mail, the youngster was represented by the Ology child talent agency. Ology has not responded to a request for comment from BBC News.
It is understood BBC Children in Need has no relationship to Axel Rudakubana and he has never had an affiliation with any of its funded projects.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the stabbings on Hart Street in the Merseyside town.
They had been attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Axel Rudakubana, who was born in Cardiff, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this week and was charged with murdering the three girls.
He was also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after eight other children and two adults were seriously injured in the attack.
He was remanded into youth detention accommodation.
The teenager could not previously be named due to his age but Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC ruled it could be made public following applications from the media.
The defendant is due to turn 18 next week.
Since the killings, episodes of unrest have broken out in towns and cities across England.
On Friday night, a police building in Sunderland was ransacked and a Citizens Advice premises next door was set alight as police faced “serious and sustained levels of violence".
The home secretary has said "criminals attacking the police and stoking disorder" will "pay the price for their violence and thuggery."
Bristol protest violence was 'absolutely outrageous'
Two sets of protesters clashed in the city sparked by the killing of three young girls in Southport.
Bristol
Arrests made after reported fight follows protests
Police say a number of arrests were made after an earlier protest passed off largely without incident.
West Yorkshire
Police disperse protesters after missiles hurled
Ten arrests are made and three police officers and two men are injured in the disorder, police say.
Stoke & Staffordshire
Police officers injured and building set on fire in Sunderland unrest
George Wright BBC News Jason Murugesu BBC News North East & Cumbria
Police officers faced "serious and sustained levels of violence" after hundreds of peoplerioted in Sunderland on Friday night.
Northumbria Police said three of its officers were injured during the unrest and needed hospital treatment.
Eight people have been arrested after a police building wasransacked and a Citizens Advice premises next door to it was set alight.
Beer cans and bricks were thrown at riot police outside a mosque and cars were set on fire during the disorder.
It is the latest episode of unrest to break out in towns and cities across England following the killing of three young girls in Southport on Monday.
Northumbria Police Ch Supt Helena Barron said officers had been met with "serious and sustained" levels of violence, which was "utterly deplorable".
She said a full investigation was under way to identify those responsible for any criminal behaviour.
"I want to make it absolutely clear that the disorder, violence and damage which has occurred will not be tolerated," Ch Supt Barron added.
Of the three injured police officers, one has been discharged and two remain in hospital for further treatment, she said.
Watch: BBC reports from Sunderland as rioters cause chaos
Some members of the crowd could be heard shouting Islamophobic slurs and chanting in support of far-right activist Tommy Robsinson, founder of the now disbanded English Defence League (EDL).
Mr Yaxley-Lennon's X account has promoted false claims that the alleged Southport attacker had been an asylum seeker who recently arrived in the UK by boat.
Lewis Atkinson, Labour MP for Sunderland Central, said: "Last night one of the flags on the street bore the reference to the North East Infidels, which is a Nazi offshoot from the North East chapter of
what was the EDL."
Mounted police were deployed to Sunderland's city centre to push back demonstrators, some of whom were in masks.
Officers also had beer barrels thrown at them, as young men shouted: "Whose streets? Our streets".
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said criminals attacking the police would "pay the price for their violence and thuggery".
Towns and cities including London, Hartlepool, Manchester, and Aldershot have seen protests descend into violence following the Southport knife attack.
In response, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a new national violent disorder programme to help clamp down on violent groups by allowing police forces to share intelligence.
In a televised speech on Thursday, Sir Keir said: "These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police response that can do the same."
He also condemned "violent disorder, clearly whipped up online".
"We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe", the PM said.
The BBC has identified at least 30 demonstrations being planned by far-right activists around the UK over the weekend, including a new protest in Southport.
Additional reporting by Jim Scott, Andy Watson and Bethany White.
More than 100 arrested in London as violence flares after Southport stabbings | UK news | The Guardian
Southport murder accused named as Axel Rudakubana | UK news | The Guardian
Yesterday floral tributes, balloons and soft toys covered the street near the police cordon
Police chiefs arrive to meet Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss clashes following the Southport stabbing
Rudakubana (pictured in a video) could not previously be named because suspects under 18 receive automatic anonymity in all UK court cases, except for in exceptional circumstances
The suspect was surrounded by a convoy of eight police cars and vans, with officers fearing they could be met with angry protesters following Monday night's riots
He is charged with three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder, and one count of possessing a bladed article and is remanded in youth custody
PM Sir Keir Starmer denounces the actions of "a gang of thugs" who took part in a riot in Southport and says a new "national capability" will be established to tackle violent disorder
Tuesday's riot followed a vigil for the victims Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine
Police officers have been given greater stop and search powers in Southport town centre, lasting until 18:00 BST on Friday
Disorder broke out on Wednesday evening in parts of England, with more than 100 people arrested in central London, alongside disturbances in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot
Live Reporting
Edited by James Gregory
James Gregory Live editor
We'll soon be pausing our live coverage, but before we do let's take a look back at what's happened today.
The suspect behind the Southport attack was named for the first time as 17-year-old Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, after the judge at Liverpool Crown Court lifted reporting restrictions.
We've also for the first time obtained photos of the suspect, taken from when he was much younger, and there have been several court sketches released.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with police chiefs from across the country to discuss plans to tackle violent disorder in several towns and cities, including Southport on Tuesday night.
Starmer condemned what he called "far-right hatred" and announced a new "national capability" in order to help police forces – more on that here.
In Southport, more flowers and handwritten tributes have been left for the three girls who died in the attack – Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven – as the community continues to mourn.
Teen, 17, accused of Southport murders named
Daniel Sandford, Gemma Sherlock & Tom Mullen
BBC News, Liverpool
A court sketch of Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who appeared at Liverpool Crown Court earlier
A 17-year-old charged with murdering three girls who were stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana is also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after eight other children and two adults were seriously injured in the attack on Monday.
The suspect, who is from the Lancashire village of Banks, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, and also faces a charge of possessing a curved kitchen knife.
He was remanded into youth detention accommodation.
The Cardiff-born teenager could not previously be named due to his age but Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC ruled it could be made public following applications from the media.
The defendant is due to turn 18 next week.
The judge said he was mindful of "misinformation" that had spread regarding the accused's identity.
Southport saw a night of unrest on Tuesday following a vigil in memory of the victims, with protesters gathering near a mosque in the Merseyside town.
Five men were arrested - with one later charged with possessing a knife - after a police van was set alight and bricks were thrown, with 53 police officers injured.
A further Section 60 order, which gives police enhanced powers to stop and search and is designed to minimise violence, was put in place on Thursday evening.
This follows the original Section 60 order brought in for 24 hours from 17:00 BST on Wednesday evening.
The latest order came into effect at 18:00 BST and will also last for 24 hours, with extra officers in the area, Merseyside Police said.
Judge Menary said: "Continuing to prevent full reporting at this stage has a disadvantage of allowing others up to mischief to continue to spread misinformation in a vacuum."
Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King died after the attack
He acknowledged his decision was "exceptional" but said "the balance clearly comes down in favour of the public interest in allowing full reporting of these proceedings".
Arguing against naming the defendant, the prosecution said he had an "autism spectrum disorder diagnosis" and had been "unwilling to leave the house and communicate with family for a period of time".
He attended an appearance at a youth court at about 09:00 BST, arriving in a prison van with a large police escort.
In front of a packed press gallery, he glanced at reporters before he was asked to sit down before District Judge James Hatton.
Wearing a grey police-issued tracksuit, the defendant pulled his sweatshirt above his nose and lowered his head during the five-minute hearing, in which he did not speak.
None of the families of the victims or the defendant were in court.
The accused will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 25 October for a pre-trial preparation hearing.
The teenager did not speak during his court appearance and covered his face
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the stabbings on Hart Street in the Merseyside town, just before midday on Monday.
Eight children and two adults were also seriously injured.
Earlier on Thursday, Alder Hey Children's Hospital confirmed two children who were being treated there had been discharged.
The hospital said it was continuing to treat five other children, and all were now in a stable condition.
A statement read: "We are delighted that two of the children involved in Monday's awful incident have now been discharged.
"Our heartfelt sympathies remain with all those affected."
The hospital also thanked Taylor Swift fans for raising more than £340,000.
Set up by two members of the Taylor Swift UK & EU Facebo
ok Group, the fundraiser has had donations from fans around the world.
“Thank you for embodying the spirit of Taylor’s music and for turning empathy into action,” the hospital said.
Floral tributes continue to be left around Southport
Following Tuesday's disturbances in Southport, further disorder broke out in areas across England, with more than 100 people arrested at a protest in central London on Wednesday night.
There were also incidents in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said "action will be taken" following the "violent disorder" at a meeting with police chiefs at Downing Street earlier.
Speaking in a televised speech afterwards, he laid out plans for forces across the country to increase their co-operation to tackle such incidents.
He described the widespread disorder as the "actions of a tiny, mindless minority" and condemned "far-right hatred".
The prime minister added: "These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police response that can do the same."
Following Monday's attack, the families of Bebe King and Alice Dasilva Aguiar issued tributes and asked for privacy.
Bebe's family said "no words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss".
The family of Alice said "keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess".
Additional reporting by Rumeana Jahangir, Monica Rimmer, Phil McCann & PA Media
In pictures: Flowers, toys and cards laid in tribute to Southport victim
1st August 2024
More flowers, cards and soft toys have been laid in tribute to the victims of the stabbing attack in Southport. Here's some of the latest images:
Facial recognition plans are 'alarming' – privacy campaign group
published 1 August 2024
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's plans to deploy facial recognition technology more widely in a bid to tackle disorder are "alarming", a privacy campaign group says.
The measure is part of a new "national capability" across police forces to combat the unrest seen in parts of England in the wake of the Southport stabbings, Starmer announced earlier.
Big Brother Watch says the plan "threatens rather than protects democracy".
"This AI surveillance turns members of the public into walking ID cards, is dangerously inaccurate and has no explicit legal basis in the UK," the group's director, Silkie Carlo, says.
More sketches from inside the court
Earlier today we brought you the first court sketches from inside Liverpool Crown Court of Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who is accused of murdering three girls at their dance class on Monday.
We've now received a couple more court sketches of Rudakubana in court today:
Starmer's plan influenced by lessons from policing football hooligans
Dominic Casciani Home and legal correspondent
The prime minister’s promise of a new approach to tackling violent disorder seems to be based on learning lessons from how police have targeted football hooligans.
The UK’s Football Policing Unit tries to track would be trouble-makers and find ways to disrupt them. The prime minister seems to be hoping the same principle can be applied to the far-right, by making sure that individual forces that have intelligence on activists are sharing that with everyone else.
But how to stop them moving around?
This is where Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) come in. These are restrictions that can be imposed on a convicted criminal if a court suspected their future behaviour could cause “harassment, alarm or distress”.
That would obviously apply to anyone who goes out to riot. A CBO could ban them from activity such as joining a far-right protest or even entering a specific town centre.
Breaching an order can lead to up to five years in jail. So the prime minister hopes that CBOs could have a significant effect in taking violence from the streets.
None of this can happen overnight - so it’s a long-term strategic bet that a difference can be made.
More disorder not inevitable, say police chiefs
published at 1 August 2024
Nick Eardley
Political correspondent
The chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council has said more disorder is not inevitable.
Speaking to the BBC after an earlier meeting with the prime minister, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said: "It's our job in policing to be worried about this but it's not inevitable".
He said unrest in recent days was "not protest, it's violent disorder, it's criminality".
He told those thinking of attending events: "You will feel the full force of the law."
He urged communities to pull together - and said everyone had to play a part "in not fanning any flames of disorder".
'High, visible presence' on Southport's streets, police say
published 1 August 2024
Let's bring you some more on that Section 60 order in place in Southport this evening.
The order applies to Southport town centre, including Sussex Road, St Luke’s Road and the villages of Ainsdale, Hillside and Birkdale.
In a statement, Merseyside Police's Community Inspector Doug Chadwick says the orders are an "effective tool in our efforts to protect the public from the violence and destruction the town saw on Tuesday, allowing us to stop and search people suspected of carrying weapons or planning any criminality.
“People living in Southport will now be used to seeing a highly visible police presence on their streets. I hope that presence is reassuring, and I would ask anyone with concerns to speak to our officers."
Chadwick adds that the support shown by Southport's community has been of huge comfort for the Merseyside Police force.
Police given more stop and search powers in Southport
1 August 2024
A section 60 order, which gives police enhanced powers to stop and search and is designed to minimise violence, has been put in place in Southport this evening.
The order came into effect at 18:00 BST and will last for 24 hours, with extra officers in the area, according to Merseyside Police.
Jewish community reach out to Southport mosque
1 August 2024
Southport's Jewish community has reached out to the town's mosque after the place of worship was targeted.
Southport Hebrew Congregation said it sent a message to the chair of the mosque.
"Inter-community relations are important... and they [the Muslim community] don't want people stoking tensions at this difficult time," said Victor Isenwater, chair of Southport Hebrew Congregation.
The congregation is also making a donation to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where victims have been treated.
How Southport mum told her daughter about stabbing 1 August 2024
Judith Moritz and Rebecca Wearn BBC North West
More reaction now from Southport, where the BBC has been speaking to a friend of one of the victims.
Charlotte Brown had an unimaginable task as a mother.
She had to tell her eight-year-old daughter, Poppy, that her friend from school, nine-year-old Alice Aguiar, had been killed in the Southport attack, and that a woman who ran a yoga class Poppy attended after school, Leanne Lucas, was also badly hurt.
“We didn’t know the names, but I knew that Alice was definitely in there,” Poppy told the BBC. “And when we found out she was in hospital I crossed my fingers.”
Later, Alice was named as one of the three girls who had died. “I saw the picture,” said Poppy. “And I said what is wrong with her? And you said she has died from the incident.”
“I don't think she's fully got it, that she has gone,” Charlotte said. But she has kept on letting Poppy ask questions any time she has needed.
They have been to the cordon twice to lay flowers, whenever Poppy has wanted to. “I think it’s important she sees the love and support.”
“It made me feel as though I was giving them to Alice,” Poppy said.
Poppy told her Mum that Alice was a beautiful singer, who often got the choir solos. “She’ll be a big miss,” Poppy said.
Bebe King's friend 'very upset' 1 August 2024
Will Vernon BBC News correspondent
Bebe King died after the knife attack on Monday
The mother of a friend of Bebe King - the six-year-old who was killed in the Southport stabbings on Monday - has told the BBC her daughter is "very upset".
The woman, who would not give her name, said her six-year-old daughter sat next to Bebe in school.
“It’s not something you should tell a six-year-old, is it? She’s very upset," she said.
"I think it’s going to hit them a bit more when they go back to school because she won’t be there. It’s hard.”
The little girl, whose name was also not given, was asked by her mother whether Bebe was fun to play with.
“Yeah,” she replied, “She used to talk like [children’s cartoon character] Pikachu.”
The mother and daughter had brought flowers and a Pikachu balloon to lay at the scene of the attack.
New photo released of Rudakubana 1 August 2024
A new photo has been released of Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, taken some years ago.
The 17-year-old suspect was named this afternoon after reporting restrictions were lifted.
'We will be relentless' in pursuing those behind violence - Cleveland Police
1 August 2024
"We will be relentless in our pursuit" of people involved in the unrest in Hartlepool, police have said.
Demonstrators set fire to a police car and pelted officers with missiles in disorder that has left the town "shocked and saddened".
So far Cleveland Police have arrested 11 people.
"Our officers go above and beyond to protect the safety of our community day in and day out, they should never be subjected to the attacks they faced last night," Assistant Chief Constable David Felton said.
Police probing viral video showing 'black or ethnic origin' man punched
1 August 2024
André Rhoden-Paul Live reporter
It is good to know André Rhoden-Paul is a Live Reporter not a dead reporter like many Palestinian reporters in Gaza who have been deliberated targeted and murdered by Israel's IDF under orders of Israel's Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing criminal prosecutions for war crimes for ordering the murders, wounding and starvation of over one million Palestinian woman and children in Gaza by the International Court of Justice
The man in the beige coloured jacket is punched by a man with a cap wearing a blue, white and red T-shirt
Police are investigating the assault of a young person of colour in Hartlepool who was punched in the face in an attack that has gone viral.
A screen recording of a TikTok live stream posted on social media shows a man, the police describe as "black or ethnic origin", walking along a pavement at night with a crowd of protestors in the road nearby.
A person in the background of the stream can be heard saying "this is unfortunate timing" for the man to be walking down the street, before laughing.
He is then punched in the face by a white man. The punched man then walks back down the street lined with what appears to be police behind riot shields.
BBC News has identified the street where the attack took place as Lowthian Road.
In a statement to the BBC, a Cleveland Police spokeswoman said the force is urging the man punched or anyone who knows him to contact the police.
Watch on BBC: 'These thugs are mobile' - Starmer
Southport murder accused named as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana
Judge allows naming of 17-year-old boy charged with three counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder
A 17-year-old boy accused of murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport can be named as Axel Rudakubana.
Rudakubana is accused of murdering Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, with a kitchen knife on Monday after entering the class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.
Lifting the anonymity order at Liverpool crown court, Judge Andrew Menary KC said the unrest in parts of the country after the attack was one reason why it was in the public interest for his name to be released.
Remanding Axel in youth detention, the judge said keeping the defendant’s anonymity in place ran the risk of “allowing others who are up to mischief to continue to spread disinformation in a vacuum”.
The defendant is due to turn 18 on Wednesday, which could provide an “additional excuse for a fresh round of public disorder”, the judge said.
Throughout the 55-minute hearing, Axel covered his face with his sweatshirt pulled up to his hairline, he refused to speak, including to confirm his name, and
at times rocked back and forth and side to side.
He will next appear at Liverpool crown court on 25 October and a provisional trial date, lasting six weeks, was scheduled for 20 January.
Menary told the defendant, who did not acknowledge the judge and continued to keep his head down: “You are remanded to youth detention accommodation until these proceedings have been completed. That position might change when you achieve your [age of] majority in a short while.”
Image:Axel Rudakubana when he was younger
Southport latest: Murder suspect, 17, named as Axel Rudakubana in 'exceptional' decision | UK News | Sky News
Axel Rudakubana in court. Court artist credit: Helen Tipper
Image: This map shows where recent riots and unrest have taken place, with many related to the stabbing attack on Monday
Victims Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar and Bebe King. Pic: Merseyside Police
Rudakubana covers his face in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court after being charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder
Rudakubana covers his face in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court after being charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder
Image:Axel Rudakubana when he was younger
Image: Axel Rudakubana covering his face as he appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court. Pic: PA
Forensic officers are pictured at the scene as emergency crews battled to save children
Emergency crews swoop on the area after a group of children were attacked at Taylor Swift-themed dance class
A 17-year-old boy, charged with murder and attempted murder after a mass stabbing in Southport, has appeared in court and been named as Axel Rudakubana.
Three children, six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, died as a result of the attack at The Hart Space community centre.
A "Taylor Swift Yoga and Dance Workshop" aimed at children aged between primary school years two and six was taking place at the time of the attack in the seaside town, which is north of Liverpool.
Rudakubana, who is from a nearby village in Lancashire, but was born in Cardiff, Wales, was arrested on Monday.
Usually, the defendant, because he is aged under 18, would be granted anonymity.
However, in an "exceptional" decision, Judge Andrew Menary KC did not conceal the identity of Rudakubana - who turns 18 in six days.
The Liverpool judge said that doing so would allow others to "spread misinformation".
"Whilst I accept it is exceptional given his age, principally because he is 18 in six days time, I do not make an order under section 45," he said.
He added: "Continuing to prevent the full reporting has the disadvantage of allowing others to spread misinformation, in a vacuum."
Rudakubana has now been remanded in youth custody, after he was charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a knife.
Rudakubana appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Thursday morning.
During the 55-minute court hearing, the teenager put his head down inside his grey sweatshirt and at times was seen rocking back and forth and side to side.
Judge Menary told the defendant: "You are remanded to youth detention accommodation until these proceedings have been completed.
"That position might change when you achieve your majority in a short while."
A plea and trial preparation hearing for Rudakubana has been set for 25 October at Liverpool Crown Court, with a provisional trial date, lasting six weeks, scheduled for 20 January next year.
The suspect, 17, in the Southport killings has been named after a judge ruled against concealing his identity. Earlier, two children who were injured in the attack were released from hospital. It comes after a second night of violence spurred by misinformation online about the suspect.
Thursday 1 August 2024, UK
Southport UK stabbing suspect, 17, is named for the first time as he appears in court charged with murdering three little girls at Taylor Swift-themed dance class and harming 10 others with a 'curved kitchen knife'
Rudakubana (pictured as a child) is charged with murdering three little girls and harming 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport with a 'curved kitchen knife'
The convoy of police vans escorted the prison van away from Liverpool Crown Court
By Richard Marsden and Eirian Jane Prosser and Matthew Lodge 01 Aug 2024
A teenager charged with murdering three children and harming 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named as Axel Rudakubana.
The 17-year-old, who turns 18 in just six days time, was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff in 2006 before moving to the village of Banks in Lancashire in 2013.
He is accused of carrying out the attack that killed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
Rudakubana is also accused of the attempted murders of eight more children, along with dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, and businessman John Hayes.
Up until now, the teenager's identity could not be revealed because suspects under 18 receive automatic anonymity in all UK court cases, except for in exceptional circumstances.
But after a successful application to the judge by the Mail, Rudakubana's name can now be reported.
Judge Andrew Menary KC said he had to balance the risk to the suspect's family and the risk to him in custody with the public interest accurately reporting his identity.
Far-right mobs took to the streets of Southport and and other major UK cities this week after a fake news website spread misinformation about the identity of the suspect.
Russian state media were among those falsely claiming that the suspect had arrived by boat to the UK last year, sharing claims that he was on an M16 watch list.
It led to violent riots, seeing dozens of police officers injured, wheelie bins set alight and emergency vehicles set on fire.
In a bid to quell tensions - after more riots broke out in London, Manchester Hartlepool, and Aldershot - Judge Menary revealed Rudakubana's identity.
As the suspected murderer arrived at the court he was met by dozens of people shouting, with one man having to be held back by police officers as the van holding him past.
The revelation comes as two children hurt in the attack were discharged from Alder Hey Children's Hospital, with five others in a 'stable condition'.
Pictured for the first time: Southport stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana, now 17, pictured as a child, is charged with murdering three little girls and harming 10 othersRudakubana (pictured as a child) is charged with murdering three little girls and harming 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport with a 'curved kitchen knife'Court artist drawing of Rudakubana covering his face as he appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown CourtRudakubana (pictured as a child)haRudakubana covers his face in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court after being charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murderRudakubana (pictured in a video) could not previously be named because suspects under 18 receive automatic anonymity in all UK court cases, except for in exceptional circumstancesAnother young picture of RudakubanaBebe King, aged six, was also killed in the attack. A teenager is set to appear in court charged with three counts of murderElsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, was also fatally wounded in the attack which shocked the nation on MondayAlice Dasilva Aguiar, aged nine, was one of three children killed by a knifeman at a Taylor-Swift themed dance class in SouthportA man is held back by police as a prison van escorted by multiple police cars leaves Liverpool Crown CourtThe white van carrying Axel Rudakubana, 17, who is accused of killing three young girls arrives as Liverpool Magistrates CourtRudakubana seen arriving at court in a police convoyA prison van (centre) escorted by multiple police vehicles leaves Liverpool Crown Court
Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said he had to balance the risk to the defendant's family and the initial risk while in custody against the public interest in accurately reporting his identity.
Why did the judge name Rudakubana?
Usually a defendant under the age of 18 is granted anonymity during court proceedings.
This means media are not allowed to name or picture them unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Today, however, Judge Andrew Menary KC decided to name Axel Rudbakubana.
The judge at Liverpool Crown Court listened to 20 minutes of legal submissions before declining to make an order to protect the teen's identity.
He said: 'Whilst I accept it is exceptional giving his age, principally because he is 18 in six days' time, I do not make an order under section 45.
'Continuing to prevent the full reporting has the disadvantage of allowing others to spread misinformation, in a vacuum.'
He noted that any order would have been lifted on Rudbakubana when he turned 18 anyways.
The judge's decision comes after misinformation spread by fake news websites and Russian state media wrongly identified the suspect.
The false claim said the suspect had arrived to the UK by boat last year sharing claims he was an M16 watchlist.
It led to violent riots in Southport and beyond which saw dozens of police officers injured, wheelie bins set alight and emergency vehicles set on fire.
He said: 'By continuing to prevent full reporting at this stage has the disadvantage of allowing others who are up to mischief to continue to spread misinformation in a vacuum and runs the risk that when the information becomes publicly available in six days' time, that will provide an additional excuse for a fresh round of public disorder.
'Allowing full reporting will undoubtedly remove some of the misreporting as to the identity of the defendant.'
A provisional trial date at Liverpool Crown Court, set to last six weeks, was scheduled for January 20 next year.
Rudakubana spent the entire 55 minutes of the hearing covering his whole face, with his grey sweatshirt pulled up to his hairline and at times rocking back and forth, side to side.
He will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 25 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
Until then he will be remanded in youth accommodation detention.
Judge Menary told the defendant, who did not acknowledge the judge and continued to keep his head down: 'You are remanded to youth detention accommodation until these proceedings have been completed.
'That position might change when you achieve your majority in a short while.'
Earlier today, the suspect attended a hearing at Liverpool City Magistrates' Court which lasted just five minutes.
During proceedings, prosecutor Deanna Heer alleged a 'kitchen knife with a curved blade' had been used during the rampage.
During that time Rudakubana, who is also charged with possessing an offensive weapon, wore a baggy grey tracksuit and black slippers and pulled his sweatshirt over his face above his nose, keeping his head low.
At one point in the hearing, the teenager, who did not speak once, looked back at the group of around 20 reporters that were sat behind the dock.
The suspect arrived at the court around 9.30am in a white prison van flanked by a large escort of at least eight police vehicles.
The large police presence comes amid fears angry protesters will turn up outside the courthouse, after a series of riots have swept the country in recent days.
More than 100 people were arrested in London last night following a far-right protest in Whitehall, with further unrest in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.
On Tuesday night, an angry mob took to the streets of Southport after a vigil to remember victims of the mass stabbing at the workshop attended by 25 children.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, leaves Liverpool Magistrates' Court after being charged with three counts of murderThe convoy of police vans escorted the prison van away from Liverpool Crown CourtThe suspect was surrounded by a convoy of eight police cars and vans, with officers fearing they could be met with angry protesters following Monday night's riotsFloral and written tributes are left alongside balloons and teddy bears at the scene of the stabbings on Hart Street, SouthportForensic officers are pictured at the scene as emergency crews battled to save childrenEmergency crews swoop on the area after a group of children were attacked at Taylor Swift-themed dance class
The defendant, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, is accused of entering a dance studio in Hart Street and attacking children and adults who were inside on Monday afternoon.
Eight other children suffered knife wounds - with five left in a critical condition in hospital - while two adults who tried to save the young ones in the summer holiday club were also seriously wounded.
The adults harmed were dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, and businessman John Hayes who tried to help.
In a statement Merseyside Police said yesterday: 'We can confirm that a 17-year-old boy from Banks has been charged with the murders of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice; 10 counts of attempted murder; and Possession of a bladed article, following the tragic incident in Southport on Monday, 29 July.
'He has been remanded in custody to appear tomorrow, Thursday 1 August at Liverpool Magistrates Court, Derby Square.'
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: 'Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW).
Leanne Lucas, who organised the Taylor Swift-themed holiday club, has had life-saving surgery and is now awake, her family said on WednesdayYesterday floral tributes, balloons and soft toys covered the street near the police cordonFriendship bracelets reading "Beautiful Swifties" are seen next to electric tea lights amid floral tributes for the victims of a deadly knife attack at the Atkinson in Southport
'I would like to thank all of the forces who have offered and supplied support to Merseyside Police during the last three days and I can confirm that we are being supported with investigative resources from across the North West.'
The boy, who was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, is from the village of Banks, just outside Southport.
Sarah Hammond, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: 'We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
'It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.'
False claims online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat had sparked riots across Southport on Tuesday night, despite pleas from one of the victim's mother's for calm.
Thousands of people turned out to pay their respects to the victims at a vigil in Southport, but violence later erupted outside a mosque in the town with 53 police officers and three police dogs injured. Five men have been arrested following that incident.
After rioting broke out, Elsie's mother, Jenni Stancombe, wrote on Facebook: 'This is the only thing that I will write, but please please stop the violence in Southport tonight.
'The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don't need this.'
Sir Keir Starmer said rioters had 'hijacked' a vigil for victims and will 'feel the full force of the law', while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the rioting as 'violent attacks from thugs on the streets', which she branded 'appalling'.
The Prime Minister is set to face questions this afternoon after crisis talks with police over the outbreak of rioting following the Southport knife attack.
On Wednesday, a clean up operation took place outside the mosque, with residents coming together to clear roads where fires had been set and rebuild walls which had been knocked down.
Police called in support from neighbouring forces in case of further disorder, but the seaside town appeared to remain quiet on Wednesday evening, however unrest developed in other areas of the country.
More than 100 people were arrested in London after crowds gathered in Whitehall turned on police, throwing bottles and cans at officers in riot gear.
The Southport mass stabbings have led to riots on the streets. Pictured: A police van is torched in Southport on Tuesday nightSouthport burns: A street near a mosque goes up in flames as violent thugs took to the streets on Tuesday nightPolice chiefs arrive to meet Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss clashes following the Southport stabbingThe riots came barely an hour after thousands of mourners gathered for a vigil at the Atkinson in SouthportMourners leave floral tributes near the scene in Hart Street, where three children died and eight were injured in a 'ferocious' knife attack
Some were heard shouting the name of English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson, while others shouted 'Rule Britannia', 'save our kids' and 'stop the boats' and chanting 'you're not English any more'.
A Met Police spokesman said: 'Over 100 people have been arrested for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions. Some officers suffered minor injuries.'
Responding to last nights riots, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: 'The scenes of disorder and violence yesterday evening were completely unacceptable.
'There is no place for criminality on our streets and I fully support the Met Police taking action against those intent on violence, causing disorder and spreading division in our city.'
In Hartlepool, County Durham four people were arrested after violent protests broke out, with people detained for various offences after missiles, glass bottles and eggs were thrown at officers.
A police car was also set on fire before protesters posed for selfies with it.
Chief Superintendent David Sutherland said: 'At this stage we believe the protest is in connection with the incident in Southport earlier this week.
'Our officers are facing missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them and have made arrests as they remain in the area to protect the safety of those living in the community.
Floral tributes continue to be left around Southport
A 17-year-old charged with murdering three girls who were stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana is also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after eight other children and two adults were seriously injured in the attack on Monday.
The suspect, who is from the Lancashire village of Banks, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, and also faces a charge of possessing a curved kitchen knife.
He was remanded into youth detention accommodation.
The Cardiff-born teenager could not previously be named due to his age but Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC ruled it could be made public following applications from the media.
The defendant is due to turn 18 next week.
The judge said he was mindful of "misinformation" that had spread regarding the accused's identity.
Southport saw a night of unrest on Tuesday following a vigil in memory of the victims, with protesters gathering near a mosque in the Merseyside town.
Five men were arrested - with one later charged with possessing a knife - after a police van was set alight and bricks were thrown, with 53 police officers injured.
A further Section 60 order, which gives police enhanced powers to stop and search and is designed to minimise violence, was put in place on Thursday evening.
This follows the original Section 60 order brought in for 24 hours from 17:00 BST on Wednesday evening.
The latest order came into effect at 18:00 BST and will also last for 24 hours, with extra officers in the area, Merseyside Police said.
Judge Menary said: "Continuing to prevent full reporting at this stage has a disadvantage of allowing others up to mischief to continue to spread misinformation in a vacuum."
He acknowledged his decision was "exceptional" but said "the balance clearly comes down in favour of the public interest in allowing full reporting of these proceedings".
Arguing against naming the defendant, the prosecution said he had an "autism spectrum disorder diagnosis" and had been "unwilling to leave the house and communicate with family for a period of time".
He attended an appearance at a youth court at about 09:00 BST, arriving in a prison van with a large police escort.
In front of a packed press gallery, he glanced at reporters before he was asked to sit down before District Judge James Hatton.
Wearing a grey police-issued tracksuit, the defendant pulled his sweatshirt above his nose and lowered his head during the five-minute hearing, in which he did not speak.
None of the families of the victims or the defendant were in court.
The accused will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 25 October for a pre-trial preparation hearing.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the stabbings on Hart Street in the Merseyside town, just before midday on Monday.
Eight children and two adults were also seriously injured.
Earlier on Thursday, Alder Hey Children's Hospital confirmed two children who were being treated there had been discharged.
The hospital said it was continuing to treat five other children, and all were now in a stable condition.
A statement read: "We are delighted that two of the children involved in Monday's awful incident have now been discharged.
"Our heartfelt sympathies remain with all those affected."
The hospital also thanked Taylor Swift fans for raising more than £340,000.
Set up by two members of the Taylor Swift UK & EU Facebook Group, the fundraiser has had donations from fans around the world.
“Thank you for embodying the spirit of Taylor’s music and for turning empathy into action,” the hospital said.
Following Tuesday's disturbances in Southport, further disorder broke out in areas across England, with more than 100 people arrested at a protest in central London on Wednesday night.
There were also incidents in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said "action will be taken" following the "violent disorder" at a meeting with police chiefs at Downing Street earlier.
Speaking in a televised speech afterwards, he laid out plans for forces across the country to increase their co-operation to tackle such incidents.
He described the widespread disorder as the "actions of a tiny, mindless minority" and condemned "far-right hatred".
The prime minister added: "These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police response that can do the same."
Following Monday's attack, the families of Bebe King and Alice Dasilva Aguiar issued tributes and asked for privacy.
Bebe's family said "no words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss".
The family of Alice said "keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess".
Additional reporting by Rumeana Jahangir, Monica Rimmer, Phil McCann & PA Media
More than 100 arrested in London as violence flares after Southport stabbings | UK news | The Guardian
More than 100 people have been arrested in London as further protests took place in several cities after the Southport stabbings.
A police car was set alight after a large group of people gathered in the Murray Street area of Hartlepool on Wednesday evening. Officers were attacked with missiles, glass bottles and eggs, Cleveland police said.
In Manchester, demonstrators turned out in large numbers outside the Holiday Inn hotel on Oldham Road at about 6pm on Wednesday, the Manchester Evening News reported.
About 40 people, which the paper reported included children and men wearing balaclavas, gathered outside the Oldham Road premises in what the paper said “appeared to be a stand against asylum seekers currently being housed in the hotel”.
In London, a large protest was staged under the title of Enough is Enough, with arrests made after demonstrators clashed with officers in Whitehall on Wednesday.
Southport stabbings: boy, 17, charged with murder and attempted murde
The Metropolitan police said: “Over 100 people have been arrested for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions. Some officers suffered minor injuries.”
Demonstrators were seen launching beer cans and glass bottles at a line of police in riot gear in front of Downing Street and throwing flares on to the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.
The angry scenes also included loud chants of “we want our country back” and “Oh Tommy Robinson”, referring to the rightwing activist.
Eight people were arrested after rioters in Hartlepool threw missiles, glass bottles and eggs at police during a disturbance linked to events in Southport.
A police car was also set alight during large-scale unrest over several hours in Hartlepool town centre on Wednesday night.
The protest began at about 6pm and led to the rapid deployment of police officers from Cleveland police as well as neighbouring forces.
Several hundred people gathered on the streets. Pictures and videos show police with riot shields being threatened by protesters carrying wooden bats and poles. There were also children throwing missiles at police.
Some of those present were shouting anti-immigrant slogans.
At one point police rescued a group of three men and a woman who appeared to have been trapped in a terrace house. The woman was carried to safety by a member of her group, and was highly distressed as she seemed to have had a panic attack.
Officers in riot gear moved quickly down a street and extracted the group from a terrace house where youths had gathered outside.
Firefighters extinguished a police car that had been set ablaze in the disorder. After crews moved on people were seen posing for selfies in front of the burnt-out vehicle.
The town centre standoff between protesters and police went on until about midnight.
Ch Supt David Sutherland of Cleveland police said: “At this stage we believe the protest is in connection with the incident in Southport earlier this week. Our officers are facing missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them and have made arrests as they remain in the area to protect the safety of those living in the community.”
In Manchester, the local councillor John Flanagan wrote on social media to respond to the violence, labelling those involved in the “sickening” incident as “mindless idiots”.
“I’d like to condemn these mindless thugs, attacking innocent men who are asylum seekers. They have been there for months and we have not had any issues or problems. They have been in a place of safety,” the councillor for Miles Platting and Newton Heath said.
“We cannot allow our country and our city to descend into anarchy, which seems to be being driven by madness on social media.”
In Aldershot, the local MP Alex Baker rebuked the violence in her community, stating there was “no justification for disorderly behaviour and the scenes do not represent Aldershot and Farnborough”.
“I have visited the scene myself this evening and have been in touch with the chief inspector … We all support our shared right to peacefully protest but we will not stand for people coming into our towns determined to stir up trouble and divide our community.”
'Furious': Southport residents clean up after night of far-right riot – video
Violence erupted in Southport on Tuesday after a vigil for three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.
Police officers in Southport sustained serious injuries when bricks, stones and bottles were thrown and cars were set alight during violent protests. The disorder near the town’s mosque came after false rumours were circulated online about the suspect.
Five people have been arrested over the unrest so far, at which 53 officers and three police dogs were injured.
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murders of the three girls. Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday at a dance class on Hart Street in Southport, Merseyside.
Eight other children sustained knife wounds with five of them in critical condition. Two adults were also critically hurt.
The accused has been remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool magistrates court, Derby Square, on Thursday.
What we know about the Southport stabbings as murder suspect named as Axel Rudakubana
What we know about the Southport stabbings as murder suspect named as Axel Rudakubana
A 17-year-old boy charged with the murder of three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class has been named after reporting restrictions were lifted.
Axel Rudakubana has been charged with the murder of three girls in Southport on 29 July. (Reach)
A 17-year-old boy charged with the murders of three girls killed in the knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been named as Axel Rudakubana.
He appeared at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday where a judge lifted reporting restrictions. The teenager could previously not be named because of his age, but would have lost anonymity when he turns 18 next Wednesday.
Rudakubana, from Banks in Lancashire, was remanded into youth detention accommodation after being charged with the murder of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, who were killed on Monday morning.
Eight other children suffered stab wounds, with five of them in a critical condition in hospital. On Thursday, two of the children injured in the attack were discharged from hospital, while five more still being treated.
17-year-old Axel Rudakubana (centre) covered his face as he appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday. (SWNS)
Rudakubana was charged with the attempted murder of two adults, yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes, as well as the attempted murder of the eight children who cannot be named for legal reasons.
The teenager, who was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff, Wales, has also been charged with possession of a bladed article.
Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, have been named as the victims of the Southport stabbing. (PA)
At an appearance at Liverpool Magistrates court on Thursday, the defendant was brought into court at 10.21am, wearing a baggy grey tracksuit and black slippers. He looked at a row of reporters sat behind the glass dock and smiled before he was asked to sit down.
He used his left hand to pull his sweatshirt over his face above his nose and kept his head low during the five-minute hearing, in which he did not speak.
None of the families of either the victims or the defendant were in court for the brief hearing
A map showing the incident in Southport. (PA)
The 17-year-old's appearance in court comes after two nights of disorder in response to the stabbings: violent unrest in Southport on Tuesday night involving people linked to the far-right English Defence League and a protest on Whitehall, close to Downing Street, on Wednesday in which more than 100 people were arrested. Incidents were also reported in Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot.
Prime minister Keir Starmer condemned the rioting calling the people who took part a "mindless minority," adding he would introduce a new police team to tackle far-right groups that travel around the UK to protest.
He also issued a warning to social media companies that allow misinformation to spread on their platforms. Starmer said: "Violent disorder, clearly whipped up online, that is also a crime, it’s happening on your premises, and the law must be upheld everywhere."
A peaceful vigil involving hundreds of people was held for the victims in Southport on Tuesday evening.
What we know
Merseyside Police said officers were called to a property on Hart Street in Southport to reports of a stabbing at around 11.50am on Monday.
One witness told the PA news agency that he called the police to an address behind The Hart Space studios, where the Taylor Swift-themed class for children in school years two to six, aged between six and 11, was taking place.
Dance teacher Leanne Lucas is reported to have been injured in the attack while protecting children. (Instagram)
Armed police detained a man and seized a knife. They subsequently said the crime was not being treated as terror-related.
The suspect, who was born in Cardiff, is from the village of Banks, just outside Southport.
Along with the three young girls, yoga teacher Leanne Lucas has been identified as one of those injured. Lucas, 35, lives in Southport and runs Enlighten Kids Yoga and put on the Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop at the Hart Space. She is a former primary school teacher, according to The Guardian.
According to the Liverpool Echo, dance teacher Heidi Liddle is also believed to have been injured in the attack. Jonathan Hayes, managing director of Calculus Legal Costs, was also hurt.
A message in a bouquet of flowers from home secretary Yvette Cooper. (PA)
The incident has sparked a number of fundraisers. One of the most popular was set up by Taylor Swift fans Cristina Jones and Holly Holdring and has raised over £300,000 so far.
Taylor Swift responded to the incident saying she was "completely in shock”, adding: "I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
Hundreds attended a vigil on Tuesday night. (PA)
On Tuesday evening, hundreds of people took part in a vigil near to the scene where the attack took place with local businesses closing their doors to encourage people to attend.
However, following the vigil, rioting broke out with bricks, stones and bottles thrown and cars were set alight. Dozens of police officers were injured and a mosque was attacked. The violence was in part incited by baseless rumours spread on social media, misidentifying the suspect and falsely claiming he was a refugee.
Five people have been arrested over the unrest, which saw 53 officers and three police dogs injured.
In a post on social media, the force said shops had been “broken into and looted”, adding that “those responsible will be brought to justice”.
Violent protests took place in Southport on Tuesday evening. (PA)
The Southport mosque chairman and imam described being trapped in the building while violence erupted outside as “terrifying” but said the supportive community response had been “humbling” after dozens of local residents turned up outside the mosque with brushes and shovels to help with the clean-up operation on Wednesday morning.
The MP for Southport Patrick Hurley condemned the “beered-up thugs” while Sir Keir Starmer said rioters had “hijacked” a vigil for victims and will “feel the full force of the law".
Elsie’s mother, Jenni Stancombe, wrote on Facebook: “This is the only thing that I will write, but please please stop the violence in Southport tonight. The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don’t need this.”
Volunteers, including children, sweep Sussex Road in Southport following the unrest on Tuesday night. (PA)
On Wednesday night, there was further disorder - in central London - as more than 100 people were arrested for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions at a demonstration in the wake of the killings and subsequent riots in Southport.
The people, described as "protesters" by police, threw flares towards the gates of Downing Street and chanted “Rule Britannia”, “save our kids” and “stop the boats”. Some were arrested after breaching a 8.30pm dispersal order.
Later, Sarah Hammond, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, confirmed that the 17-year-old suspect had been charged: “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial," she said.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. Our thoughts remain with the families of all of those affected by these harrowing events.”
What we don't know
People lay flowers near the scene in Hart Street, Southport, where three children died and eight were injured in a "ferocious" knife attack. (PA)
Full details of what unfolded are not yet known, nor have the identities of all the victims been made public by officials. The nature of the injuries suffered during the attack have not been disclosed and it is not known how serious the injuries of those still in a critical condition are.
Police earlier confirmed that there was no clear indication of any motive.
Southport victim's aunt speaks of family's 'immense
FBI Is Investigating Saturday’s Trump Shooting At A Trump Rally In Pennsylvania As An Attempted Assassination And Act Of Domestic Terror
Was The Trump Shooting An INSIDE Job Special Forces Sniper Speaks Out
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TroubleshootingWhoOrderedTheLowSecurity?
This smells like a setup gone wrong. Thank God!
There can be no doubt that the Shooter's Roof Position was earmarked for him to Assassinate Trump
Looking at the below building map it is blatantly obvious that the roof position the shooter had was the best and shortest line of sight to attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. There can be no possible excuse that can be provided by Kimberly Cheatle, The US Secret Service Director to the Oversight Committee as to why she had not ordered Secret Service Snipers to be positioned on the building where the shooter was obviously instructed and allowed to set up in the well planned attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Five Important Questions For The US Secret Service Over The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump BBC
Speaker Mike Johnson today became the highest-ranking politician to call for President Biden to fire the Secret Service director, Kimberly Cheatle. “Yesterday I said that she should resign. It’s clear that she has no intention to do so, but the oversight here, the mistakes, the ineptitude, whatever it is, was inexcusable,” Johnson said on Fox Business.
Oversight Committee chair to subpoena Secret Service director for testimony on Trump assassination attempt
The House and Senate Homeland Security Committees have said they will also be looking into the shooting. The head of the House Homeland Security Panel, Rep. Mark Green, invited Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Chris Wray and Cheatle to testify before lawmakers next Tuesday to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Eric Trump calls failures that led to attempted assassination of his father "infuriating"
He said the fact that snipers and rally attendees spotted the shooter as early as 26 minutes before the first shots were fired is "infuriating." ..... "I grew up competing in the shooting sports. I know that world very, very well, and a rifle shot at 130 yards is like a four-inch punt, right? You don't, you don't miss it if you're competent," he said, adding, "I'm not an overly mushy person ... but, you know, somebody was watching down on him because it could have gone very, very differently."
Eric Trump said it was "hard to believe" the Secret Service would overlook a building as large as the one the gunman used to gain his vantage point. "A big building that size, 130 yards away from a podium, from an elevated position — you don't need to be a security expert to realize that you might want to have somebody up there."
Senators chased Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, at the Republican National Convention and demanded she answer questions about the assassination attempt on Donald J. Trump
Republican senators, including a member of the Senate’s leadership, accosted the director of the Secret Service in a suite at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, demanding that she resign or provide a full explanation for the security lapses that led to the near-miss assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump.
Senators John Barrasso of Wyoming, the third-ranking Senate Republican, and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee aggressively confronted the agency’s director, Kimberly A. Cheatle, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. A staff member for one of the senators videotaped the confrontation and sent it to a reporter.
The video, which Ms. Blackburn also posted on X, shows Mr. Barrasso berating Ms. Cheatle over why Mr. Trump was allowed to go onstage for his Saturday evening rally in Butler, Pa., when authorities had already identified as suspicious a man who turned out to be the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“You put him within less than an inch of his life,” Mr. Barrasso said to Ms. Cheatle, almost yelling. “So resignation or full explanation.”
Ms. Cheatle declined to answer their questions and instead walked out of the suite. Mr. Barrasso and Ms. Blackburn followed her down a corridor inside the arena and up a flight of stairs, continuing to yell questions at her and telling her she owed them answers.
Ms. Cheatle is in Milwaukee as the senior security official at the event. The Republican National Convention is a “national special security event,” the highest threat profile given by the federal government, because of its size and scope. Both Mr. Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, are under Secret Service protection.
In a joint interview after the encounter, Mr. Barrasso and Ms. Blackburn said they had been on a briefing call with Ms. Cheatle and the F.B.I. director, Christopher Wray, earlier on Wednesday. The senators complained that they had been waiting in the queue for questions when the call ended and said the briefing had been inadequate.
“We were trying to get to the root of what had happened, how the shooter was on the roof by himself and able to get off the shots,” Mr. Barrasso said. He dismissed the briefing as a “cover-your-ass call.”
Both senators said that when they heard that Ms. Cheatle was in the arena, they decided to confront her. Mr. Barrasso said that they were joined by Senators James Lankford of Oklahoma and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Secret Service, did not directly respond to questions about the incident. But he issued a statement saying that “continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident” and that Ms. Cheatle “has no intentions to step down.”
“She deeply respects members of Congress,” Mr. Guglielmi continued, “and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews.”
Interviewed inside the convention arena, Mr. Barrasso said that he and Ms. Blackburn only gave up their pursuit of Ms. Cheatle after she fled into a restroom. “She ran up a flight of steps, and we were up with her,” he said. “And it looked like she then went into a ladies’ room and her own security closed the door and blocked the door.”
Live Updates: Trump rally shooting investigation continues as new details emerge about assassination attempt
Trump Shooting Live Updates: Lawmakers Assail Decision to Let Campaign Rally Go Ahead
Speaker Mike Johnson urged President Biden to fire the Secret Service director as outrage grew over the agency’s call to let the former president take the stage even as the police searched for a person they considered suspicious.
The scene of the rally where a would-be assassin fired on former President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pa.Credit...Kristian Thacker for The New York Times
Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday joined calls for President Biden to fire the Secret Service director, after new disclosures by investigators further intensified scrutiny of the agency’s decisions in the hours and minutes before a would-be assassin fired at former President Donald J. Trump.
Lawmakers reacted furiously to the revelation that Mr. Trump had been allowed to take the stage last weekend at a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania even as law enforcement officers searched for a potentially dangerous person who would later come shockingly close to killing the Republican nominee for president.
Here’s what else to know:
Missed opportunities: The Secret Service allowed a building within a rifle’s range to be excluded from its secure perimeter, creating a blind spot close to Mr. Trump that the gunman exploited. A reconstruction of events at the rally on Saturday showed other missed chances to avert the shooting.
Uncertain motive: F.B.I. officials told members of Congress that the gunman had used his cellphone to search for images of Mr. Trump, President Biden and other public figures — but that his motives remained unclear. Officials said the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa., had also searched for dates of Mr. Trump’s appearances and of the Democratic National Convention.
Secret Service fallout: Republican senators, including a member of the chamber’s leadership, accosted the agency’s director, Kimberly A. Cheatle, in a suite at the Republican National Convention late Wednesday, demanding that she resign or provide a full explanation for the security lapses that led to the assassination attempt against Mr. Trump. She is scheduled to appear next week before two congressional committees that are examining the shooting.
Mourning the slain: A public visitation will be held on Thursday for Corey Comperatore, the volunteer firefighter and father of two who was killed in the shooting. A private funeral will follow on Friday. Two other people who were gravely injured in the shooting remained in serious condition.
Shooting followed "absolute and abysmal failure," expert says
A former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents said the shooting followed an "an absolute and abysmal failure" on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump. The agency is ultimately responsible for the candidate's safety, said Stan Kephart.
"You don't get to blame other people," said Kephart, who is now a consulting expert on law enforcement event security. "They are under your control."
At least a dozen police officers and sheriff's deputies were assisting the U.S. Secret Service and Pennsylvania State Police with rally security.
The U.S. Secret Service is facing mounting questions about the security flaws that allowed the shooter to fire from a rooftop near the rally
Local authorities told Secret Service they couldn't secure building Trump shooter used
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has said it was going to be up to local law enforcement to secure the building from which the man who shot former President Donald Trump opened fire.
"I don't know whose responsibility that building was," Goldinger said. "But someone should have been there."
Butler Township manager Tom Knights told the station, "It was indicated we did not have the manpower to take that task on, as well, based on our number of officers on duty."
Knights confirmed that the message was sent to the Secret Service two days before the Trump rally.
Butler Township also told the agency its team could only handle traffic control. CBS Pittsburgh learned the Secret Service never responded to those messages.
Local police told the Secret Service before the rally that they did not have the manpower to place a patrol car outside the building where the gunman would later position himself, Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CBS Pittsburgh.
The Butler Township officer in charge told Secret Service this during a preplanning meeting about a week before the rally. The news about this conversation was first reported by the Washington Post.
Local police instead planned to secure the building with police personnel and tactical teams, a law enforcement official said.
The building had three snipers from local tactical teams positioned inside, overlooking the crowd. One of those snipers spotted the gunman and photographed him. The local sniper also saw the gunman looking through a rangefinder and immediately radioed his command post, according to a local law enforcement officer.
–Nicole Sganga, Andy Sheehan
Sniper who took out gunman fired one round
The Secret Service sniper who neutralized the gunman fired one round and was assisted by a spotter, according to two federal law enforcement officials with knowledge of the response to the shooting.
The sniper who took out the gunman was located on the roof behind and to Trump's to his left — the square furthest to the right in the below map.
Trump rally shooter's motive still unclear as Biden urges calm
FBI & Secret Service Pressor for The Trump Rally Shooting: Assassination Attempt Investigation
Timeline of Trump rally shooting shows witnesses alerted officers 2 minutes before gunfire - CBS News
Sniper took a picture of Trump rally shooter before attack, source says
A sniper from a local tactical team deployed to assist the U.S. Secret Service at Trump's rally took a picture of the gunman and saw him looking through a rangefinder minutes before he tried to assassinate the former president, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the events told CBS News.
INLTV World News Comment:
Could you imagine the world uproar if a photo was shown to have been taken of a shooter looking through his rifle range site a minute or so before shooting at Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III of the United Kingdom...without any action been taken to neutralize the shooter in some way before he had a chance to take a shot at Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III of the United Kingdom
Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before the 20-year-old opened fire.
Open campaign events, such as Saturday's, are tough to secure against all threats, but insiders said they were surprised that the gunman was able to scale a roof overlooking the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump was speaking.
The U.S. Secret Service is facing mounting questions about the security flaws that allowed the shooter to fire from a rooftop near the rally.
Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before the 20-year-old opened fire.
Mr Trump was hit in the ear in the assassination attempt but has said "God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening", while one spectator - named as 50-year-old Corey Comperatore - was killed and two others seriously injured.
Security experts familiar with the demands of keeping politicians safe said "a fundamental security failure" occurred to allow the gunman to get close enough to carry out his attack.
Among those to comment was Steve Nottingham, who has helped provide security for visiting world leaders, including presidents.
The former Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team commander, suggested pre-event research and real-time monitoring of places a gunman could shoot from had broken down.
Trump Make America Great Again
Text PENNSYVALIA TO 88022
Speaking to "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil from the floor of the convention in Milwaukee Wednesday morning, Eric Trump said his father has referred to the injury as "the greatest earache he's ever had." .... "You know, he was millimeters away from having his life expunged ... I'm sure the ear doesn't feel well," Eric Trump said.
Secret Service Has Some 'Splainin to Do
Zero legitimate explanation for how a man with a rifle got onto a roof only 120 meters away from Trump with a clear line of sight.
Five Major Questions For US Secret Service After The Attempted Assassination of former US President Donald Trump BBC News
Tessa Wong and James Fitzgerald BBC News 15th July 2024
Several Major Questions have emmerged for the US Secret Service to answer in the aftermath of the attempted shooting assassination of former US President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The FBI has taken on the role of lead investigator into the incident, during ehich one person was killed and two others critically injured ' while Trump was woundered in the ear.
As the US demands answers, the US Secret Service says it is working to discover "what happened... how it happened, and how we can prevent sn incident like this from ever happening again".
The US Secret Service chief, Kimberly Cheatle, has been summoned to testify before a committer of the US House of Representatives on the 22nd of July, 2024.
Why Was Gunman's Roof Not Secured In Advsnce?.
It remains unclear how suspected gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks got access to the roof of a building near the rally that was little more than 130m (430 feet) from Donald Trump.
The rooftop was a known vulnerability before the event, according to NBC News, which cited two sources familiar with US Secret Service operations.
'Someone should have been on the roof or securing the buiding so no one could get on the roof", NBC quoted one of the sources as saying.
As well as the access question, it has been suggested thst the line of sight from the rooftop to Ttump's podium area should have been blocked off.
Crooks should not have been able to get a direct dight of Trump. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC News in Monday.
Mr Mayorkas said officials would "really study the event independently, and make recommendations to the US Secret Service and to me".
Were Warnings About The Gunman Passed On?
An eyewitness to the shooting told BBC that he and others had "clearly" spotted Crooks crawling around on the roof with a rifle. They allerted police, but the suspect continuing moving around for several minutes before firing shots and then being shot dead himself, the eyewitnesses said.
FBI special agent Kevin Rojek admitted it had been "surprising" that the attacker had been able to open fire.
The county sheriff has confirmed that Crooks was spotted by a local police officer, who was unable to stop him in time. Something that remains unclear is whether this information reached the agents around Trump.
Crooks was already on 'officials' radar, according to a senior law enforcement official. Theyvanonymoysly told CNN that officers thought he was acting suspiciously near the event magnetometres. This information was allegedly relayed to the US Secret Service.
Was US Secret Service Too Reliant On The Local Police?
The gunmsn fired his shots from ewhat police have described as a "secondary ring", which was patrolled not by the US Secret Service but by local and state police officers.
A former US Secret Service agent said this sort of arrangement only worked when there was a clear plan on what to do when a danger was spotted.
"When you rely on the local law enforcement partners, yoi better have carefully planned and told them what you expect them to do about a threat," Jonathan Wackrow told the Washington Post.
The county sherriff has admitted there had been "a failure" but said there was no single party to blame.
Was The Event Properly Resourced?
A former chair of the House Oversight Committee has suggested that the US Secret Service was "spread too thin", which compounded the issue that local police would not have been "trained up" to secure an event like Saturday's rally.
Jason Chaffetz, who has previously reported on US Secret Service failures, told Washington Post there was no bigger "threat profile" than for Trump or e Biden, but that this was not reflected in the security presence in Pennsylvania.
The US Secret Security has xenied suggestions that a request from the Trump team to beef up the staffing had been rebuffed in advance of the Trump Political Rally.
But the Post reported that it had seen an exchange of messages in which a former US Secret Service officer asked colleagues how the suspect had got a gun so closs to Trump. He was reported to have received the reply: " Resources."
In a statement on Monday, Ms Cheatle, the Director of the US Secret Service, ssid changes had been made to Trump's Secret Service Detail ahead of the start of the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday. Ms Cheatle s said she was "confident" in the overall Trump protection plan
Was Trump aken Off The Podium Stage Quickly Enough?
The US Secret Service Agents who shielded Trump have received praise, including from former agent Robert McDonald, who said they did a "fairly good job" despite there being no exact "playbook" on what to do in such a situation .
But the question has also been asked whether they were fast eniugh to whisk the former president away in a vehicle.
Footage of the incident shows them rspidly fotming a shield srounf him in the immediate wake of the gunshots, but then appearing to pause as Trump asks to gather his shoes. The former president goes on to pump his fist for supporters.
A US Secret Service veteran told the New York Times he would not have waited: "If that's me there, no. We are going now," said Jeffrey James.
"If it's me, I'm buying him a new pair of shoes."
Donald Trump Assassination Attempt
Analysis of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump
USWeekly.com.au Analysis of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Leroy Fletcher Prouty (January 24, 1917 – June 5, 2001) served as Chief of Special Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President John F. Kennedy.
Live Updates: Trump rally shooting investigation continues as new details emerge about assassination attempt
New details continue to emerge in the investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, who is now at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee with his ear still bandaged and with increased security evident around him.
The gunman's motive in the Saturday attack on the former president remains unclear five days after he opened fire at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — wounding Trump and two others and killing a rallygoer. The U.S. Secret Service is facing mounting questions about the security flaws that enabled the shooter to fire from a rooftop near the rally.
Eric Trump, the former president's son, told CBS News his father doesn't have stitches but has a "nice flesh wound." He said his father's hearing is fine and that he is "in great spirits."
Details about the moments before the shooting are raising more questions. Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter, later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before he opened fire.
Even before that, a sniper from a local tactical team deployed to assist the U.S. Secret Service at the rally took a picture of the gunman, saw him looking through a rangefinder, and immediately radioed to the command post, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the events told CBS News.
A federal law enforcement bulletin obtained by CBS News identified the gunman as "an apparent lone attacker." The FBI is investigating whether he was a politically motivated homegrown domestic violent extremist.
The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is opening an investigation into the rally's planning, and President Biden said he is ordering an independent review to determine what went wrong.
Local authorities told Secret Service they couldn't secure building Trump shooter used
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has said it was going to be up to local law enforcement to secure the building from which the man who shot former President Donald Trump opened fire.
"I don't know whose responsibility that building was," Goldinger said. "But someone should have been there."
Butler Township manager Tom Knights told the station, "It was indicated we did not have the manpower to take that task on, as well, based on our number of officers on duty."
Knights confirmed that the message was sent to the Secret Service two days before the Trump rally.
Butler Township also told the agency its team could only handle traffic control. CBS Pittsburgh learned the Secret Service never responded to those messages.
"All I know is our township police department was very clear that we did not have the manpower for it," Knights said.
Local police told the Secret Service before the rally that they did not have the manpower to place a patrol car outside the building where the gunman would later position himself, Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CBS Pittsburgh.
The Butler Township officer in charge told Secret Service this during a preplanning meeting about a week before the rally. The news about this conversation was first reported by the Washington Post.
Local police instead planned to secure the building with police personnel and tactical teams, a law enforcement official said.
The building had three snipers from local tactical teams positioned inside, overlooking the crowd. One of those snipers spotted the gunman and photographed him. The local sniper also saw the gunman looking through a rangefinder and immediately radioed his command post, according to a local law enforcement officer.
Shooting followed "absolute and abysmal failure," expert says
A former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents said the shooting followed an "an absolute and abysmal failure" on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump. The agency is ultimately responsible for the candidate's safety, said Stan Kephart.
"You don't get to blame other people," said Kephart, who is now a consulting expert on law enforcement event security. "They are under your control."
At least a dozen police officers and sheriff's deputies were assisting the U.S. Secret Service and Pennsylvania State Police with rally security.
–Nicole Sganga, Andy Sheehan
1. Leroy Fletcher Prouty, a former CIA cornel stated in his book 'The Secret Team' that one can work out who was behind ordering, allowing, encouraging, arranging and/or orchestrating an attempted or successful assassination ..... one first has to find out who was responsible to reducing the amount of security protecting a politician, royal family member or other important public figure, that allowed such attempted or successful assassination to take place. Once it is arranged by those in control of the amount, effectiveness and thoroughness and professional use of available security techniques and resources to be severely reduced, allowing easy opportunities for an assassination to easily take place, then it allows anyone of the thousands of people, groups, organizations and/or networks that would want to assassinate that high profile person to do their job. Thus, those who are the main people, organizations, groups and networks, who would not want to take a risk of allowing Donald Trump to run in the November 2024 USA Elections, because his is fast becoming the hot favourite in the polls to win, can help have Donald Trump assassinated, just by reducing the amount, effectiveness and thoroughness and professional use of available security techniques and resources to be severely reduced, allowing easy opportunities for an assassination to easily take place..... without it been possible to easily point the finger at them being behind the attempted or successful assassination of Donald Trump.
2. On the undisputable evidence, the USA Security Services allowed the opportunity for the shooter to set up an excellent firing position on a nearby roof which should have occupied by a USA Security Services Sniper.
3 A large tree protected Trump Shooter.
4. Crooks was a registered Republican, according to state voter records, and donated $15 to a Democratic political action committee when he was 17.
5. One has to take into account the timing of the attempted assassination of former Donald Trump who the polls says will most likely be appointed the next USA President. The fact that the attempted assassination of former Donald Trump happened an extremely short time before the Republican Convention where it was certain Donald Trump would be named at the official Republican Candidate for the next USA President. Had this well planned and well executed, the attempted assassination of former Donald Trump been successful, the Republican Convention would have had to nominate a different, less well known person for the Republican USA President Nominee, which would have been a very difficult decision to have to make within a few days. The Reality would have been that the Republican Convention would be in chaos, with all Republican Members all morning at the assassination of Donald Trump, which would make it even harder to concentrate of who to select to replace Donald Trump as the Republican USA President Nominee.
6. Thus it was perfect timing and a perfect place to attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. The choice of Donald Trump's rally speech was a perfect place for enemies of Donald Trump to assassinate Donald Trump using a well trained shooter, with a high powered long range rifle that could easily hit Donald Trump's head up to around a 130 to 150 yard range.
7. For so many different reasons the chances of the current USA President Joe Biden of beating Donald Trump at the November 2024 USA Presidential Elections was becoming extremely low. Thus, this would be a good reason for those who desperately wanted Joe Biden to win the November 2024 USA presidential elections, would have had the maximum reason to to what they could to order, orchestrate and arrange the assassination of former USA t President at time. If they let Donald Trump alive any longer there was very little chance of stopping Donald Trump from winning the November 2024 USA presidential elections. They would have had to act immediately, otherwise they will have left their run too late.
8. In other words .... timing was of thee essence in this matter for Joe Biden and the powerful people, organizations and networks that for so many different reasons are desperate to make sore at any cost, and by any possible method, that Donald Trump does not win the November 2024 USA Presidential Elections, and that Joe Biden wins.
9. Does not mean that Joe Biden himself had any prior knowledge of the well planned assassination of Donald Trump using a perfect person, with the perfect loaner bullied profile, who was registered as a Republican Member, to train up to be able to kill Donald Trump from a 130 to 150 yard range using a high powered long range gun.
10.There as so many powerful people, organizations and networks, which includes people in control of other countries, with billions in resources at their disposal, such as Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, who has over $100 billion dollars at his disposal and also at risk, that would be extremely concerned if Donald Trump won the November 2024 USA Presidential Elections. Donald Trump has made it clear that he and his Team, if Donald Trump won the November 2024 USA Presidential Elections, would do everything possible to immediately end the Russian Ukraine was be political negotiation with the Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who is the president of Russia..... and stop the USA funding Ukraine to fight Russia in the Russian Ukraine War.
11. Many security experts have made it clear that it is absolutely incredibly incompetent, for the best Security Service Organization in the world to have allowed a situation were all possible places that someone a shooter could set up within easy kill range, to be able to kill a former USA President Donald Trump, and one of the only two main USA Presidential Candidates. when even ordinary people that attended this Donald Trump Rally were able to see and film this shooter climbing onto the roof with a gun.. yet none of the Security were able to also know was happening in time if neutralize the shooter before he had the opportunity fire a shot at former US President Donald Trump
12. An overall analysis for the background and circumstances of this very lucky escape of Donald Trump from dying from a gun shot wound in his forehead from a high powered long range rifle, it seems clear that those who planned, arranged, allowed and orchestrated the assassination of Donald Trump, if needed, had arranged for this loner shooter. Thomas Matthew Crooks, who had registered as a member of the Republican Party, arranged. and/or encouraged in many possible various ways, for Thomas Matthew Crooks to train up for over 12 months plus as an expert long range shooter marksman, so he would be there ready if needed, to assassinate Donald Trump, when the right opportunity arose, and if it was felt that thew polls for favouring Donald Trump as the most likely winner of the November 2024 USA Presidential Elections.
13. From reading and listening to all mainstream media reports around the world about the investigations of the failed attempted assassination of Donald Trump former US President, it is noted that no spot light is being put into the background and possible political connections of the father of the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, This seems extremely strange. The father of Thomas Matthew Crooks, would be the main person to investigate and shine a spotlight on as to whether he helped encourage his son Thomas Matthew Crooks, for one reason or another to train up as an expert shooter and being involved the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, using a gun purchased and owned by the father of Thomas Matthew Crooks.
14. It is noted that it is rather odd, strange and extremely suspicious that the father of Thomas Matthew Crooks, only bothered to rung the USA Law Enforcement Authorities to report his son and his gun missing, after seeing the news reports of his son's failed attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. This can be compared to a situation where, a person who wants to claim insurance of his car, and to allow his car to be used in a bank robbery getaway, to make some quick money, by arranging a person who would be involved carrying out a planned bank robbery, to steal his car, and to cover up that he is not involved in any way, rings the police to say it is stolen, after he sees a news report that his car was involved in a bank robbery......
15. It is possible that those behind helping to behind ordering, allowing, encouraging, arranging and/or orchestrating an attempted or successful shooting at Donald Trump and his loyal supporters at the Donald Trump Rally, never intended for Donald Trump to be killed ... the purpose of the shooting may have been for other reasons... such as:
(a) to stop the pressure and talk for Joe Biden to step down for running for the November 2024 USA Elections, because it was being claimed by even some of his own loyal supporters, Joe Biden's Health has deteriorated too much in recent times ... since... since the shooting at Donald Trump most of the talk about Joe Biden not being well enough to run for the USA Presidency for another 4 years, is basically quickly disappearing ... with it generally now considered that the November 2024 USA Elections is now confirmed as a Two Horse Race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.. thus if this was the purpose of a near miss assassination of Donald Trump, it has achieved its purpose.
(b) to give Joe Biden a public platform to make great speeches that it is time people in the USA people to deplore violence of any form, and in particular is the political arena.... this has achieved its purpose... Joe Biden was quickly able to make speeches after the shooting at Donald Trump about deploring any form of violence in the USA, with the need for a leader such as Joe Biden, who presents himself as a less radical USA President than Donald Trump.
(c) to try and scare Donald Trump into quitting his bid to be the next President of the USA, and to encourage Donald Trump's Family into encouraging him to withdraw from the USA Presidential Race.. if this was one of the aims of the apparent attempted assassination of Donald Trump, this aim as failed, because the shooting Donald Trump has shown he and his family have all strengthened Donald Trump's resolve to continue to run for the next USA Presidency.
16. There has been no actual full complete proof publicly made available provided that the shots fired at Donald Trump and at his supporters actually came from the named shooter, even though it does seem that that did.
17. There is no actual full complete proof made publicly available that the shooter is actually dead...the public have never been shown a photo of the shooter's dead body and/or a certified death certificate..it is possible the shooter having done what he was told to do, by those that could well have been behind arranging the shotting on Donald Trump, was allowed to live, with a mainstream media announcement that "The Shooter Has is Down and Neutralized"... with a public assumption that the shooter has been killed by a Security Agency Sniper... but no actually dead at all.. the shooter ma have been shott with a bullet that puts him to sleep, but did no kill him .. and then carted away as though he is dead, and given a new Identity ...all this a possible scenario ..
18. Analyzing all the publicly known evidence and back ground circumstances surrounding the shooting of Donald Trump, it seems virtually impossible to believe that the shooter was without any help or assistance of some kind was:
(a) a lone shooter who had no help and assistance in various possible ways,
(b) easily able to end up with the right type of high powered long range rifle to be able to successfully assassinate Donald Trump with such rifle
(c) able to train for over 12 months to become a top shooter marksman cable of successfully assassinating Donald Trump from a 130 yard range ,
(d) s able to quite openly climb onto the top of a very nearby building which was 130 yards away from where Donald Trump would be speaking, which had a good direct line of sight to be able to kill Donald Trump. with a long range rifle,
(e) conveniently in a position where he had a tree was blocking any view of the shooter from one of the only two security Agency Snipers which had set up on the top of building behind where Donald Trump was due to speak.
(f) able to set up his shooter position before and/or about the same time as the only two Security Agency Snipers, who conveniently to the success of the shooter, were fairly late in setting up their sniper shooting positions, who should have been well set up in their sniper positions for a couple of hours of of the time Donald Trump was due t speak, not still setting up at the time Donald Trump started to speak.
(g) able to set up his shooter position on a building which had a good 130 yard line of sight of where Donald Trump was due to speak, which was an obvious building that security agency snipers should have been set up on instead of keeping the top of building which was an obvious important likely place for a shooter to set up to be able to attempt to assassinate Donald Trump.
19. Conclusion
This smells like a setup gone wrong. Thank God!
There can be no doubt that the Shooter's Roof Position was earmarked for him to Assassinate Trump
Looking at the below building map it is blatantly obvious that the roof position the shooter had was the best and shortest line of sight to attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. There can be no possible excuse that can be provided by Kimberly Cheatle, The US Secret Service Director to the Oversight Committee as to why she had not ordered Secret Service Snipers to be positioned on the building where the shooter was obviously instructed and allowed to set up in the well planned attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Hundreds of people have driven to a community park in Freeport, Pa., to attend the public visitation for Corey Comperatore, the volunteer firefighter and father of two who was killed in the Trump rally shooting. There is a lot of security, and American flags line many of the narrow roads in the park’s entrance.
An electronic billboard inside the park is flashing several images, including a smiling photo of Comperatore, an image of Trump defiantly raising his fist after the rally shooting, and the Statue of Liberty with flames in the background.
Gary Risch Jr., a longtime friend of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was killed in the shooting, said fire companies from as far away as Florida and Texas have said they will be sending trucks for the funeral procession on Friday. Risch, a fellow member of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, said the crowds will be “overwhelming” in the small town of Freeport, Pa., and surrounding areas that will host the visitation, funeral and procession, calling it “a once-in-a-century situation.”
Who is investigating the attempt on Mr. Trump’s life?
While the F.B.I.’s criminal investigation looks to unearth the shooter’s motives, other inquiries are expected to focus on security failures tied to the attack.
The Secret Service is charged with protecting the nation’s leaders, including former presidents. The agency, part of the Homeland Security Department, also works with local law enforcement to secure events like political rallies and other appearances.
Congress has oversight over the Secret Service, and at least four committees in the House and Senate have signaled that they will begin inquiries, with the first hearings scheduled for next week. President Biden has also announced his intention to start an independent national security investigation.
Within the Homeland Security Department, there will be at least two inquiries: one by the Office of the Inspector General, which is tasked with broad oversight over the agency, and one by the Secret Service itself to examine internal failures.
What are the investigations looking for?
The investigations look at both the internal security failures that enabled an attack on a former president and at external factors, including why the shooter tried to kill Mr. Trump and whether the episode was part of a larger plot.
It had been 52 years since a presidential candidate was killed or hurt in an attack, though as president, Ronald Reagan was seriously injured in 1981, two months after his inauguration, when he was shot outside a hotel in Washington.
Previous shootings of sitting presidents and candidates for the office set off extensive congressional investigations, as well as probes from the Secret Service, state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. A broader conspiracy was found in only one of at least 15 previous attacks: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
Among the questions facing the Secret Service are why it did not adequately secure the building where the gunman fired from the roof, which was less than 500 feet from the stage where Mr. Trump was speaking. Lawmakers have also pointed fingers at the conduct of agents in the moments after the shooting, including allowing Mr. Trump to linger on the stage and raise a fist before the crowd.
How is the F.B.I. investigation progressing?
The F.B.I. is leading the main criminal investigation into the shooting. Federal officials said they have found no evidence that the shooting was part of a larger plot, but have not ruled out any scenario.
The F.B.I. said Monday that it had gained access to the shooter’s cellphone. But they still do not have a motive for the gunman, identified by law enforcement as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He had no criminal history and no known strong political beliefs. Federal investigators hope that the data on his password-protected phone will shed light on the shooting.
If the shooter acted alone, it is unlikely any criminal charges will be brought, as Mr. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper at the scene.
What is the Homeland Security Department examining?
Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, called the shooting a security failure and said the department would conduct an internal investigation.
“We have a fail-proof responsibility,” he said in an interview on CNN that aired Monday. But Mr. Mayorkas said he remained confident in the Secret Service and its director, Kimberly A. Cheatle.
The department’s inspector general has a mandate to review the Secret Service, making an investigation inevitable. Independent investigations led by Congress or directed by external officials are more likely to shed light on security failures leading up to the attack.
In her statement on Monday, Ms. Cheatle said the Secret Service was working with federal, state and local agencies “to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again.” She said the agency would “participate fully” in the independent review announced by President Biden, as well as cooperating with congressional committees.
Will Congress launch an independent commission to investigate?
At least five congressional committees in the House and Senate have held briefings or called hearings on the shooting. Ms. Cheatle is expected to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, in the first of three hearings on Capitol Hill next week about the assassination attempt.
Ahead of Ms. Cheatle’s testimony, the oversight panel’s leader, Representative James R. Comer, Republican of Kentucky, and Representative Mark E. Green, Republican of Tennessee, who leads the House Homeland Security Committee, which has also committed to investigating the shooting, have demanded a trove of documents, recordings and communications from Ms. Cheatle and other top federal law enforcement officials.
They have asked for the security plan for the rally and other documents and communications, including those that took place in the aftermath of the shooting.
Mr. Green has also asked Ms. Cheatle, Mr. Mayorkas and Christopher Wray, the director of the F.B.I., to testify before his panel next week, saying: “The American people want answers.”
The House Judiciary Committee will hear from Mr. Wray next Wednesday, the third hearing related to the attack at the rally.
Some lawmakers have called for an independent commission to lead an investigation, along the lines of the Warren Commission that examined the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Because Congress can demand and review documents and evidence from across federal, state and local agencies, a congressional investigation would probably be best equipped to present a thorough, independent review of the assassination attempt. But its answers may not prove satisfactory to everyone, as was the case with the Warren Commission, whose conclusion that the gunman Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone has been the subject of speculation and debate for decades.
The two other attendees who were shot at the Trump rally remain in serious but stable condition at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, said Bill Toland, a hospital spokesman.
Oversight Committee chair to subpoena Secret Service director for testimony on Trump assassination attempt
Washington — The House Oversight and Accountability Committee's chairman plans to subpoena U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for testimony on the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, a spokeswoman for the panel said Tuesday.
Cheatle is set to appear before committee members for an oversight hearing on July 22, Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, announced Monday. While the Secret Service also agreed to brief lawmakers on Tuesday, the panel's spokeswoman said, the Department of Homeland Security "took over communications" with the committee and has not confirmed a time for the briefing.
"The Oversight Committee has a long record of bipartisan oversight of the Secret Service and the unprofessionalism we are witnessing from current DHS leadership is unacceptable," the spokeswoman said. "While the Secret Service confirmed Director Cheatle is expected to appear for the committee's hearing on July 22, to head off any attempt by DHS to backtrack on her appearance, the chairman will issue a subpoena for her to attend. Director Cheatle must answer to Congress and the American people about the historic failure that occurred on her watch."
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said in response to the committee that it "responds to congressional requests directly via official channels, and the department will continue to respond appropriately to congressional oversight."
Cheatle's job at the helm of the Secret Service has come under scrutiny following the shooting at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, during which the former president was injured when a bullet grazed his ear. One spectator, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed in the attack and two others, Marine Corps veteran David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were wounded.
The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the gunman. He was killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Questions quickly arose in the wake of the assassination attempt about how Crooks was able to gain access to a rooftop so close to where Trump was speaking to the crowd of supporters. President Biden said Sunday that he ordered an independent review of security at the rally and asked the Secret Service to review security measures for this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Cheatle said Monday that the agency will "participate fully" in the review announced by Mr. Biden and is working with federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened at Trump's rally, how it occurred and how it can be prevented from taking place again.
The Secret Service chief said the agency provided additional security enhancements for Trump's detail in June and implemented changes to his security detail after the shooting to ensure continued protection for the convention and rest of the campaign.
The House and Senate Homeland Security Committees have said they will also be looking into the shooting. The head of the House Homeland Security Panel, Rep. Mark Green, invited Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Chris Wray and Cheatle to testify before lawmakers next Tuesday to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Michael Kaplan contributed to this report
Tree may have blocked sniper team's view of Trump rally gunman, maps show
A tree may have prevented one of the sniper teams tasked with protecting former President Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania campaign rally from clearly seeing the would-be assassin as he climbed on a roof and opened fire, according to a CBS News analysis of video and satellite imagery.
The tree, located between the shooter and the sniper team closest to him, may have impaired the team's line of sight as the gunman climbed onto the roof from where he fired multiple rounds. That sniper team, which was positioned on a roof over Trump's right shoulder, did not fire the shot that killed the gunman, two federal law enforcement officials told CBS News.
A U.S. Secret Service sniper stationed in a building behind the former president fired one round, killing the gunman, according to multiple law enforcement officials. Two federal law enforcement officers told CBS News the Secret Service team that ultimately killed the shooter was located on a building behind Trump's left shoulder — with a view that was not blocked by the tree, the CBS analysis shows. That team was initially directed to go another way, so the snipers had to reorient themselves before taking down the gunman, CBS News' Charlie de Mar reported.
A map showing a tree possibly blocking the line of sight of a sniper team at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.GOOGLE EARTH/CBS NEWS
The image below shows the scene from the perspective of the building where the gunman was located.
This perspective shows the building where the gunman was located in the foreground.
A MAP SHOWING ANOTHER ANGLE
The motive of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks remains a mystery four days after the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — during which Trump and two others were injured and a rallygoer was killed. A federal law enforcement bulletin obtained by CBS News identified the gunman as "an apparent lone attacker" and the FBI is investigating whether he was a politically motivated homegrown domestic violent extremist.
Minutes before the assassination attempt, a sniper from a local tactical team took a photo of the gunman and saw him looking through a rangefinder, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the events told CBS News. Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before the 20-year-old opened fire.
The U.S. Secret Service is facing mounting questions about the security flaws that allowed the shooter to fire from a rooftop near the rally. Meanwhile, House Republicans are ramping up efforts to investigate the attempted assassination.
President Biden said earlier this week that he is directing an independent review of security and events at the rally to determine what went wrong, while the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is opening an investigation into the rally's planning.
Eric Trump, the former president's son, told CBS News his father doesn't have stitches after he was shot, but has a "nice flesh wound." He said his father's hearing is fine and that he is "in great spirits."
With reporting from Erielle Delzer, Alex Clark, Rhona Tarrant and Kaia Hubbard
Eric Trump calls failures that led to attempted assassination of his father "infuriating"
Former President Donald Trump's second son, Eric Trump, spoke with "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell on Tuesday about his father's recovery after an assassination attempt, security going forward and the future of the campaign.
After his father was officially nominated for a third time to be the Republican presidential candidate on Monday, Eric Trump said the former president was dealing with "the greatest earache in the history of earaches" after a bullet fired by a would-be assassin grazed Trump's ear while he was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
"You see the picture, right? The famous New York Times picture now where you literally see the vapor trail of the bullet coming out of the backside of his ear. It's hard to believe it could've been so much different. I can't even imagine what that would've meant for this country," Eric Trump said.
Eric Trump said the former president's hearing is fine and that he is "in great spirits."
"We've been hearing this from Iran, including from the leaders directly, for years at this point," he said. Eric Trump cited the assassinations of Qassem Soleimani, the former leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's Quds forces, and former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as reasons why Iran would want retribution against the former president.
Eric Trump didn't provide any details about security changes since the assassination attempt, but he did praise the response by Secret Service agents who protected his father on stage Saturday. Still, he wants accountability for the failures that led to the shooting.
"The men and women on that stage in that moment are the greatest people in the world," Eric Trump said. "I know many of them personally and they're phenomenal, phenomenal individuals. And I'm sure they'll get to the bottom of it, but there'd better be real accountability. You can't have ex-presidents taking bullets through the ear."
He said the fact that snipers and rally attendees spotted the shooter as early as 26 minutes before the first shots were fired is "infuriating."
"I grew up competing in the shooting sports. I know that world very, very well, and a rifle shot at 130 yards is like a four-inch punt, right? You don't, you don't miss it if you're competent," he said, adding, "I'm not an overly mushy person ... but, you know, somebody was watching down on him because it could have gone very, very differently."
Eric Trump said it was "hard to believe" the Secret Service would overlook a building as large as the one the gunman used to gain his vantage point.
"A big building that size, 130 yards away from a podium, from an elevated position — you don't need to be a security expert to realize that you might want to have somebody up there."
In the interview, Eric Trump also expressed enthusiasm about his father's vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, of Ohio. He said he was excited to see Vance take on Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming vice presidential debate, which will be hosted by CBS News.
"I think JD Vance will be putting a bag of popcorn in the microwave and, you know, he is ready to go," Eric Trump said. "Believe me, he's not gonna be backing away from that debate. That much I can tell you."
Jordan Freiman is a news editor for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes.
Trump Shooting Live Updates: Lawmakers Assail Decision to Let Campaign Rally Go Ahead
Speaker Mike Johnson urged President Biden to fire the Secret Service director as outrage grew over the agency’s call to let the former president take the stage even as the police searched for a person they considered suspicious.
The scene of the rally where a would-be assassin fired on former President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pa.Credit...Kristian Thacker for The New York Times
Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday joined calls for President Biden to fire the Secret Service director, after new disclosures by investigators further intensified scrutiny of the agency’s decisions in the hours and minutes before a would-be assassin fired at former President Donald J. Trump.
Lawmakers reacted furiously to the revelation that Mr. Trump had been allowed to take the stage last weekend at a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania even as law enforcement officers searched for a potentially dangerous person who would later come shockingly close to killing the Republican nominee for president.
Here’s what else to know:
Missed opportunities: The Secret Service allowed a building within a rifle’s range to be excluded from its secure perimeter, creating a blind spot close to Mr. Trump that the gunman exploited. A reconstruction of events at the rally on Saturday showed other missed chances to avert the shooting.
Uncertain motive: F.B.I. officials told members of Congress that the gunman had used his cellphone to search for images of Mr. Trump, President Biden and other public figures — but that his motives remained unclear. Officials said the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa., had also searched for dates of Mr. Trump’s appearances and of the Democratic National Convention.
Secret Service fallout: Republican senators, including a member of the chamber’s leadership, accosted the agency’s director, Kimberly A. Cheatle, in a suite at the Republican National Convention late Wednesday, demanding that she resign or provide a full explanation for the security lapses that led to the assassination attempt against Mr. Trump. She is scheduled to appear next week before two congressional committees that are examining the shooting.
Mourning the slain: A public visitation will be held on Thursday for Corey Comperatore, the volunteer firefighter and father of two who was killed in the shooting. A private funeral will follow on Friday. Two other people who were gravely injured in the shooting remained in serious condition.
Gary Risch Jr., a longtime friend of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was killed in the shooting, said fire companies from as far away as Florida and Texas have said they will be sending trucks for the funeral procession on Friday. Risch, a fellow member of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, said the crowds will be “overwhelming” in the small town of Freeport, Pa., and surrounding areas that will host the visitation, funeral and procession, calling it “a once-in-a-century situation.”
The two other attendees who were shot at the Trump rally remain in serious but stable condition at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, said Bill Toland, a hospital spokesman.
Republican senators, including a member of the Senate’s leadership, accosted the director of the Secret Service in a suite at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, demanding that she resign or provide a full explanation for the security lapses that led to the near-miss assassination attempt against former President Donald J. Trump.
Senators John Barrasso of Wyoming, the third-ranking Senate Republican, and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee aggressively confronted the agency’s director, Kimberly A. Cheatle, at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. A staff member for one of the senators videotaped the confrontation and sent it to a reporter.
The video, which Ms. Blackburn also posted on X, shows Mr. Barrasso berating Ms. Cheatle over why Mr. Trump was allowed to go onstage for his Saturday evening rally in Butler, Pa., when authorities had already identified as suspicious a man who turned out to be the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“You put him within less than an inch of his life,” Mr. Barrasso said to Ms. Cheatle, almost yelling. “So resignation or full explanation.”
Ms. Cheatle declined to answer their questions and instead walked out of the suite. Mr. Barrasso and Ms. Blackburn followed her down a corridor inside the arena and up a flight of stairs, continuing to yell questions at her and telling her she owed them answers.
Ms. Cheatle is in Milwaukee as the senior security official at the event. The Republican National Convention is a “national special security event,” the highest threat profile given by the federal government, because of its size and scope. Both Mr. Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, are under Secret Service protection.
In a joint interview after the encounter, Mr. Barrasso and Ms. Blackburn said they had been on a briefing call with Ms. Cheatle and the F.B.I. director, Christopher Wray, earlier on Wednesday. The senators complained that they had been waiting in the queue for questions when the call ended and said the briefing had been inadequate.
“We were trying to get to the root of what had happened, how the shooter was on the roof by himself and able to get off the shots,” Mr. Barrasso said. He dismissed the briefing as a “cover-your-ass call.”
Both senators said that when they heard that Ms. Cheatle was in the arena, they decided to confront her. Mr. Barrasso said that they were joined by Senators James Lankford of Oklahoma and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Secret Service, did not directly respond to questions about the incident. But he issued a statement saying that “continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident” and that Ms. Cheatle “has no intentions to step down.”
“She deeply respects members of Congress,” Mr. Guglielmi continued, “and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews.”
Interviewed inside the convention arena, Mr. Barrasso said that he and Ms. Blackburn only gave up their pursuit of Ms. Cheatle after she fled into a restroom. “She ran up a flight of steps, and we were up with her,” he said. “And it looked like she then went into a ladies’ room and her own security closed the door and blocked the door.”
David A. Fahrenthold, Glenn Thrush and Adam Goldman reported from Washington. Campbell Robertson reported from Butler, Pa. Aric Toler reported from Kansas City, Mo
Former President Donald J. Trump was allowed to take the stage for his speech despite reports of a suspicious person in the vicinity.Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times
About an hour before a gunman let loose a volley of bullets that nearly assassinated a former president, the law enforcement contingent in Butler, Pa., was on the verge of a great policing success.
Among the thousands of people streaming in to cheer former President Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally on Saturday, local officers spotted one skinny young man acting oddly and notified other law enforcement. The Secret Service, too, was informed, through radio communication. The suspicious man did not appear to have a weapon.
Remarkably, law enforcement had found the right man — Thomas Matthew Crooks, a would-be assassin, though officers did not know that at the time. Then they lost track of him.
Twenty minutes before violence erupted, a sniper, from a distance, spotted Mr. Crooks again and took his picture.
As time slipped away, at least two local officers were pulled from traffic detail to help search for the man. But the Secret Service, the agency charged with protecting Mr. Trump, did not stop him from taking the stage. Eight minutes after Mr. Trump started to speak, Mr. Crooks fired off bullets that left the Republican presidential nominee bloodied and a rally visitor dead.
Secret Service snipers surveilling the surrounding area before Mr. Trump began to speak.Credit...Eric Lee/The New York Times
The call to let the rally go ahead while law enforcement looked for a potentially dangerous person is one of many Secret Service decisions now being called into question. The agency is also under scrutiny for allowing a building within a rifle’s range to be excluded from its secure perimeter, creating a blind spot close to the former president that the gunman exploited.
“I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking onstage,” Senator Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, posted Wednesday on X, after a private briefing with the Secret Service and the F.B.I.
Multiple investigations into the lapses are underway, including one announced by President Biden Sunday. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas called the shooting, which killed one rally visitor and hospitalized two others, a security failure, though he has said Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle still has his support.
Ms. Cheatle in an interview with ABC News said she takes full responsibility.
Even as investigators continue to examine what happened, it is already clear that there were multiple missed opportunities to stop Mr. Crooks before the situation turned deadly. This account is based on video footage from the rally and statements from numerous federal officials, local law enforcement officers in Butler and members of Congress who were briefed by the F.B.I. and the Secret Service.
On July 8, an advance team walked the site, the Butler Farm Show grounds, to assess a security threat. Agents worked with local law enforcement and explained what the Secret Service would handle and what law enforcement would be expected to do. Crucially, the Secret Service decided that a group of warehouses to the north of the stage would be excluded from the security zone, despite being only about 450 feet from Mr. Trump’s podium. That was within a rifle’s range.
Despite his photo being circulated, the gunman was able to climb onto the roof of a nearby warehouse after law enforcement officials lost track of him.Credit...Kristian Thacker for The New York Times
That meant the warehouses were assigned to local law enforcement to secure. The Secret Service and the local police had treated the complex of warehouses just north of the rally site as an observation post. It was considered a place from which to watch Mr. Trump’s crowd — not a place that needed to be watched, itself.
But that created a blind spot, outside the security perimeter but well within rifle range of Mr. Trump. It was exploited by a gunman with no military training and little subtlety, who showed up early and acted oddly enough that police photographed him and distributed his picture, though with no weapon in view.
“I don’t know whose responsibility that building was,” Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said. “But somebody should have been there.”
It was also unclear how long in advance Mr. Crooks had prepared. Mr. Trump announced his rally in Butler on July 3.
But in the aftermath, when the F.B.I. was able to finally access Mr. Crooks’s cellphones and other electronic devices, agents could see that he had searched for images of Mr. Trump as well as President Biden, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and even F.B.I. Director Christopher A. Wray.
Mr. Crooks also typed in “major depressive disorder” and searched for dates and places for appearances for both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump.
One of Mr. Trump’s planned appearances happened to be about 50 miles from Mr. Crooks’s house in Bethel Park, Pa.
On Friday, July 12, the day before the attempted assassination, Mr. Crooks went to a shooting range, according to an investigative summary prepared by the F.B.I. The next morning, he bought a ladder at a Home Depot and then later that day he purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun shop near his home, according to the F.B.I. document and federal law enforcement officials.
During Mr. Trump’s speech, the attention of the security teams around him pivoted to the area to the north, from where the shots would eventually come. The gunman was on a warehouse roof, but it is unclear if the Secret Service snipers could see him. Credit...Eric Lee/The New York Times
In his car, a Hyundai Sonata, Mr. Crooks brought an AR-15 style rifle, bought by his father more than a decade earlier. And he brought two homemade bombs, in which a potentially explosive mixture of fertilizer and fuel was packed inside empty ammunition cans that were roughly the size of a toolbox.
The bombs were fitted with a remote-control receiver — the type typically used to set off fireworks displays remotely — according to another federal government report seen by The Times. The report said the bombs appeared designed to be set off by a remote control. He brought that, too.
Mr. Trump’s rally in Butler was supposed to start at 5 p.m., though Mr. Trump did not go onstage for another hour after that. Video obtained by Pittsburgh’s WTAE-TV appears to show that Mr. Crooks was there by at least 5:06 p.m.
The video suggests that Mr. Crooks walked around in front of the warehouse building he would eventually use as a sniper’s perch. He appeared unarmed and unhurried, looking toward the rally site with a hand in his pocket.
The officer took a photo of him and circulated it around officers at the rally. The official said that local officers tried to follow the suspicious man, but lost track.
It was about 20 minutes before the shooting.
At some point, Mr. Crooks climbed onto the roof of a warehouse, building No. 6 of a complex of interconnected corrugated-metal buildings used by an equipment company, AGR International.
The location had obvious advantages to a would-be sniper: a clear, elevated line of sight toward the stage where Mr. Trump would stand. Ms. Cheatle said no officers were stationed on the roof itself because of safety concerns arising from the roof’s slope.
The aftermath of the shooting last week. Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times
There were conflicting accounts of how Mr. Crooks got up to the roof. A Secret Service spokesman said Wednesday that he had climbed up to the roof on his own, perhaps by using an air-conditioner. Federal investigators believe that he did not use a ladder even though Mr. Crooks had bought one that morning.
At 6:03 p.m. Mr. Trump appeared, waving to the cheering crowd. Six minutes later, with Trump now energetically speaking onstage, witnesses noticed Mr. Crooks crawling into position on the roof. They alerted local officers, who patrolled the area outside the Secret Service’s perimeter.
It was two minutes before the shooting.
Onstage, Mr. Trump continued speaking, seemingly unaware.
But around him, the Secret Service contingent frantically began to respond, shifting its focus from scanning the crowd to scanning the area north of the security perimeter. The sprawling warehouse complex just to the north — the blind spot — was now everyone’s focus.
On a barn directly behind Mr. Trump, a Secret Service counter-sniper team quickly clambered from one side of the peaked roofs to the other. Now, they pointed their rifles at the warehouse about 450 feet to Mr. Trump’s right.
Mr. Crooks was on the warehouse roof, but it is unclear if the Secret Service counter-snipers could see him. A New York Times visual analysis showed that the view for these snipers was likely blocked by the gentle peak of the warehouse’s roof.
Mr. Crooks was still hidden, low-crawling up the other side.
On the ground, officers from the small Butler Township Police Department had been assigned to direct traffic near the warehouse. According to a social media post from Butler Township Commissioner Edward Natali, at least two of the officers left their traffic posts to help look for the suspicious person.
Two officers went to the warehouse, and one officer boosted the other up, so that his head was above the roofline. He and Mr. Crooks saw each other. Mr. Crooks “turned his firearm,” Mr. Natali wrote, but the officer could not fire back: He was holding onto the roof with both hands.
The officer fell backward and was injured, Mr. Natali wrote.
Mr. Crooks reached the peak of the warehouse roof, high enough to see over the top. A witness on the ground yelled: “He’s on the roof! He’s got a gun!”
Then time was up. Mr. Crooks fired his rifle eight times, according to a Times analysis of audio from the scene. His first shot appeared to graze Mr. Trump, bloodying his right ear. Two other rallygoers were injured, and a 50-year-old retired firefighter, Corey Comperatore, was killed.
Afterward, a Secret Service sniper on the south barn killed him with one shot. A local police officer in another part of the area also fired at him, but it was unclear if his bullet struck Mr. Crooks, according to the Butler County district attorney.
When the police reached Mr. Crooks’s body on the roof, he had no identification on him. Officers traced the serial number on his rifle to his father. In his pocket, he carried a remote control to the bombs in his car.
It was not clear if he had tried to use it, or if the bombs were made well enough to explode.
Eduardo Medina and Jeanna Smialek contributed reporting from Butler, Pa., Chelsia Rose Marcius from Bethel Park, Pa., Mark Walker and John Ismay from Washington, and William K. Rashbaum from New York.
The F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, last year. On a conference call with members of Congress on Wednesday, he went out of his way to caution that the investigation was still in its early stages.Credit...Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times
F.B.I. officials told members of Congress on Wednesday that the gunman who tried to kill former President Donald J. Trump used his cellphone and other devices to search for images of Mr. Trump and President Biden, along with an array of public figures.
The 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa., also looked up dates of Mr. Trump’s appearances and the Democratic National Convention, according to people on two conference calls held to answer lawmakers’ questions.
And, at least once, his browsing history signaled concerns about his own mental state.
The disclosures, made during private briefings to lawmakers by the F.B.I. and the head of the embattled Secret Service, offered the most complete portrait so far of a would-be assassin with no criminal history, or even clearly discernible political beliefs, who came close to killing Mr. Trump. Still, no clear motive for the attack has emerged.
The official assessment aligned with recollections of people who knew him. Several former classmates have said they never heard the gunman express any particular political ideology. But Vincent Taormina, a former classmate who said he attended middle school and high school with the gunman, said in an interview that Mr. Crooks showed a general disdain for politicians in both parties.
He recalled one instance when the two were in seventh grade. During a classroom political debate, Mr. Taormina voiced his support for Mr. Trump. Mr. Crooks seemed incredulous.
“He says, ‘Aren’t you Hispanic? And you like Trump?’” Mr. Taormina said. “He said, ‘That’s a little stupid.’”
Mr. Taormina brushed off the encounter, and had few other interactions with Mr. Crooks. But he disputed other classmates’ accounts that the gunman had been bullied or had been a loner, saying that he was intelligent and had his own small group of friends.
“I did not know him personally or as a friend, but he was not bullied, he was not a recluse,” Mr. Taormina said.
The F.B.I. has been scouring Mr. Crooks’s possessions since the shooting on Saturday — including two phones and at least one laptop — for clues about his motive. So far, they have found no indication that Mr. Crooks, who was a registered Republican, had strong partisan political views one way or another, bureau officials told lawmakers.
Nor have they uncovered any evidence of co-conspirators or connections to foreign actors, two top bureau officials said during the tense calls in which members of the House and Senate demanded answers about a nearly catastrophic failure to safeguard Mr. Trump.
The investigation is proving to be tricky. That was illustrated when officials on one of the calls said they were investigating the possibility that an account bearing Mr. Crooks’s name on the gaming platform Steam had previewed the attack, with a post saying he would make his “premiere” on July 13, the day of the shooting. But upon further examination, that now seems to have been a fake, according to law enforcement officials.
A more substantial development concerned the shooter’s state of mind. The officials told lawmakers that there was some indication that the gunman, who led a quiet life and worked at a nursing home near his house, might have been struggling with depression.
Officials singled out some of the searches on one of his cellphones, saying that he had looked up “major depressive disorder,” according to a person on the calls and another briefed on its contents.
Mr. Crooks seems to have been on good terms with his parents, who are both counselors, but they were not closely involved in the day-to-day details of his life, officials said.
Over the last several months, the gunman received multiple packages, including several that were marked “hazardous material,” according to a federal law enforcement memo obtained by The New York Times. Federal officials reviewed his shipping history after they discovered three explosive devices connected to him, the memo said. One device was found in his home, and two others were found in his car parked near the rally.
Investigators discovered two improvised explosive devices in the would-be assassin’s car that used a radio-controlled initiation system intended for commercial fireworks demonstrations.
While the briefing on Wednesday filled in some blanks, it left many questions unanswered. Federal law enforcement officials are puzzled and exasperated by the lack of evidence on the gunman’s two phones, one found by his body on the roof of a warehouse outside the security perimeter of the rally, the other discovered during a search of his house.
F.B.I. officials, speaking on the calls, suggested that his search history indicated he was broadly interested in powerful and famous people, without any obvious ideological or partisan pattern.
Among the other prominent figures the gunman searched for using one of his phones, besides Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, were the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray; Attorney General Merrick B. Garland; and a member of the British royal family, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter publicly.
Mr. Wray, who was also on the calls, went out of his way to caution that the investigation was still in its early stages.
But the absence of “any political or ideological information” at the house Mr. Crooks shared with his mother and father was “notable” because most people who carry out acts of political violence tend to leave a discernible trail of political views, a top bureau official told lawmakers.
Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, admitted that her agency made serious “mistakes” during one of the calls, and provided new information about Mr. Crooks’s movements during the shooting. She is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday.
During the briefing with senators, officials ran through a timeline of events, noting that law enforcement officers had identified the gunman as suspicious about an hour before the shooting but then lost track of him, according to two people familiar with the contents of the briefing.
About 20 minutes before the shooting, a sniper spotted him again, the people said.
Some senators left their call angry with the Secret Service after learning that officers did not intervene before he opened fire.
“He had a rangefinder and a backpack. The Secret Service lost sight of him. No one has taken responsibility,” Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, said in a statement, adding, “The head of the Secret Service needs to go.”
Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, called on federal law enforcement agencies to publicly release the same details shared with lawmakers.
“The Biden administration has got to start being open with Americans about what happened, who is being held accountable and how we make sure it never happens again,” he said.
Chelsia Rose Marcius contributed reporting from Butler, Pa., and Adam Goldman from Washington.
BUTLER, Pennsylvania, July 17 (Reuters) - - Thomas Crooks was pacing next to a warehouse building outside the Butler Farm Show grounds as a crowd gathered for one of former President Donald Trump's signature outdoor rallies.
Crooks had already been flagged as suspicious by law enforcement. By the time two police officers walked over to check him out, he was on the roof, belly crawling.
“He’s got a gun,” a bystander yelled.
One officer hoisted the other to the lip of the roof. As the officer pulled his head over the edge, a long-haired young man wearing glasses turned toward him, wielding an AR-15 -style rifle. The officer dropped back to the ground, the Butler County sheriff told Reuters.
Crooks, an introverted 20-year-old computer whiz who had just earned a spot at a college engineering program, turned back to his target about 400 feet away. He squeezed off several shots at Trump, clipping the former president’s ear, killing an audience member and wounding two others before Secret Service snipers on a nearby building killed him with counterfire.
This account of the first assassination attempt to injure a U.S. president since 1981 is based on interviews with more than two dozen people, including law enforcement officials, Crooks’ school associates and witnesses who attended the rally, along with public records and news accounts.
Crooks fired his rifle at approximately 6:10 pm, according to a Reuters photographer at the rally. Trump winced and grabbed his right ear. Secret Service agents tackled the former president and some supporters dived for cover. A bullet hit what appeared to be the hydraulic line of a forklift that held a bank of speakers to the right side of the stage. Fluid spewed across the crowd and the lift's arm collapsed. To the left, screams erupted where a spectator had been fatally shot.
As Secret Service agents tackled the former president, some supporters scrambled for safety. Others grabbed children and hustled towards the gates.
"The audience wasn't like what you'd expect out of a crowd that just experienced something like this,” said Saurabh Sharma, a Trump supporter sitting near the front. “Everyone was really quiet. There were a few women crying. They were, you know, saying, ‘I can't believe they tried to kill him’.”
Four days after the assassination attempt, a coherent picture of the moments before the shooting was emerging. But Crooks’ ideology and reasons for pulling the trigger remained a mystery.
A review of Crooks’ phone by the Federal Bureau of Investigation found he had searched for images of both President Joe Biden and Trump, as well as other famous figures, in the days before the shooting, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. lawmakers briefed on the law enforcement investigation.
Crooks had been searching for the dates of Trump’s public appearances and of the Democratic National Convention, the report said. He had also looked up “major depressive disorder” on his phone, the Times said. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the report.
The shooting comes amid a years-long rise of political violenceand threats in the U.S. When that violence turns deadly, it has been more likely to be perpetrated by people on the American right, according to a Reuters analysis published last year. But the ideological motivation behind Saturday’s attack remains unclear.
POLITICALLY DIVIDED TOWN
Crooks seemed to have a bright future, said two people who knew him at the Community College of Allegheny County, where he graduated in May with a two-year associate’s degree in engineering.
One college instructor told Reuters that she had gone back through his assignments this week, bewildered that the conscientious student who distinguished himself by going “above and beyond” could have turned murderous.
The instructor, who declined to be identified, said his homework responses were thoughtful and his emails polite. He excelled at an assignment to redesign a toy for people with disabilities. “He did a chess set for the blind. He 3D-printed it. He put the Braille on it. He talked to experts in the field,” she recalled. “He really took a lot of care.”
Crooks made less of an impression on classmates. Samuel Strotman, also enrolled in CCAC’s engineering program, took two online classes with Crooks. Strotman said Crooks never spoke in the lectures and had his camera turned off.
A view of police tape near the home of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, named by the FBI as the "subject involved" in the attempted assassination of former U.S. President and Republican... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Read more
A college employee who knew Crooks said he was quiet but pleasant. “It's just very, very, very unexpected,” the employee said. Crooks had seemed interested in pursuing a career in mechanical engineering, the employee said.
The college closed its engineering program on June 30. Crooks was planning to continue his engineering education at nearby Robert Morris University, that school confirmed.
Most recently, he worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home, where he “performed his job without concern,” the center said. The job was down the street from his home in Bethel Park, a middle-class suburb of Pittsburgh, where he had lived in a modest brick home with his parents and older sister.
At Bethel Park High School, where he graduated in 2022, he kept a low profile, according to classmates. One former classmate told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Crooks expressed conservative views in a history class where other students leaned liberal. Others said his views were never apparent. His photo was missing in his senior yearbook, with his name listed under “not pictured.” He enjoyed gaming and building computers, a classmate told Reuters.
Crooks’ town, Bethel Park, is divided almost down America’s political middle. In the 2020 election, Trump eked out a 65-vote margin in the borough of about 33,000 people, results show.
The political split showed up in the Crooks household. Thomas was a registered Republican. His father is a Libertarian and his mother is a Democrat, voter registration records show. Both are social workers. When Crooks was 17, he made a $15 donation to a political action committee earmarked for a Democratic turnout group, according to federal election data.
His school counselor Jim Knapp, who retired in 2022, said Crooks rarely came across his radar because he wasn’t a “needy type kid.” Knapp occasionally checked on him at lunch because he was sitting alone. “I’d say, ‘Do you want to sit with somebody?’ And he’d say, ‘No, I’m okay by myself,’” Knapp recalled.
Former high-school classmate Max Rich said Crooks was shy and “never seemed like the type” to commit such violence.
He left virtually no digital footprint. He spent time on Discord, a gaming platform, but the company said it found “no evidence that it was used to plan this incident, promote violence, or discuss his political views.”
Crooks was a member of the local Clairton Sportsmen's Club, a gun club. He was wearing a shirt advertising “Demolition Ranch,” a YouTube channel for firearms enthusiasts, when he was killed. After the shooting, Matt Carriker, a Texas veterinarian who runs the Demolition Ranch channel, posted a video on X saying he was “shocked and confused” to learn that Crooks was wearing his channel’s merchandise. “We keep politics out of it,” he said, adding that he did not know and had never met or communicated with Crooks.
HOMEMADE BOMBS AND AMMUNITION
Crooks appeared to spend at least some time preparing for the Trump event. He bought ammunition on the day of the rally, stopping at a gun store in his hometown of Bethel Park to pick up 50 rounds, according to a joint bulletin issued this week by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is leading the investigation.
He built three homemade bombs – two found in his car and another in his home, according to the bulletin, which was reviewed by Reuters. In the preceding months, the bulletin noted, Crooks had received “multiple packages, including some marked as possibly containing hazardous material.”
At the rally, Crooks caught the attention of local law enforcement while pacing around the grounds before Trump took the stage. One officer called in a report of a suspicious person and snapped a photo that was distributed electronically to other officers at the scene, according to Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe, a Trump backer who was seated near the front of the rally as a special guest.
As two Butler Township Police officers responded to the call, people in the crowd already had noticed a man on the roof. Some yelled that he had a gun, according to crowd-shot video reviewed by Reuters. Slupe told Reuters the officer who initially pulled himself onto the roof had no time to unholster his gun when Crooks turned on him, leaving him no option but to drop back to the ground.
Secret Service officials have said their agency is responsible for securing the area within the event’s security perimeter; the building used by Crooks was just outside it. But some former agency officials and other security experts have disputed that contention, arguing that buildings with a direct sight line and within firing range of the former president should have been swept and under constant surveillance by the service’s sniper teams.
Local officials have bristled at any suggestions that town or county law enforcement was responsible for securing the building.
“The Butler Township Police Department had no security detail for this event,” Butler Township commissioner Edward Natali wrote in a Tuesday post on Facebook, noting that the township had seven officers on site solely for traffic duty. Even though the officer who confronted Crooks on the roof had to fall back, he added, the encounter “most likely forced the shooter to hurry his shots.”
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Additional reporting by Rich McKay, Andrew Hay, Aram Roston, Monica Naime and Sarah Lynch. Editing by Jason Szep
Gabriella Borter is a reporter on the U.S. National Affairs team, covering cultural and political issues as well as breaking news. She has won two Front Page Awards from the Newswomen’s Club of New York - in 2020 for her beat reporting on healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2019 for her spot story on the firing of the police officer who killed Eric Garner. The latter was also a Deadline Club Awards finalist. She holds a B.A. in English from Yale University and joined Reuters in 2017.
An aerial view of the Butler Farm Show grounds as the wind blows the flag over the stage.Credit...Kristian Thacker for The New York Times
As the F.B.I. investigates the attempt to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally, Congress and the Homeland Security Department have begun their own inquiries into broader security failures, including by the Secret Service, that allowed the attack to take place.
The overlapping investigations, some just announced and others fully underway, aim to understand how a 20-year-old gunman was able to fire at Mr. Trump at the rally in western Pennsylvania, injuring the former president, killing an audience member and gravely wounding two others.
Here’s what to know about the inquiries:
Who is investigating the attempt on Mr. Trump’s life?
While the F.B.I.’s criminal investigation looks to unearth the shooter’s motives, other inquiries are expected to focus on security failures tied to the attack.
The Secret Service is charged with protecting the nation’s leaders, including former presidents. The agency, part of the Homeland Security Department, also works with local law enforcement to secure events like political rallies and other appearances.
Congress has oversight over the Secret Service, and at least four committees in the House and Senate have signaled that they will begin inquiries, with the first hearings scheduled for next week. President Biden has also announced his intention to start an independent national security investigation.
Within the Homeland Security Department, there will be at least two inquiries: one by the Office of the Inspector General, which is tasked with broad oversight over the agency, and one by the Secret Service itself to examine internal failures.
What are the investigations looking for?
The investigations look at both the internal security failures that enabled an attack on a former president and at external factors, including why the shooter tried to kill Mr. Trump and whether the episode was part of a larger plot.
It had been 52 years since a presidential candidate was killed or hurt in an attack, though as president, Ronald Reagan was seriously injured in 1981, two months after his inauguration, when he was shot outside a hotel in Washington.
Previous shootings of sitting presidents and candidates for the office set off extensive congressional investigations, as well as probes from the Secret Service, state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. A broader conspiracy was found in only one of at least 15 previous attacks: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
Among the questions facing the Secret Service are why it did not adequately secure the building where the gunman fired from the roof, which was less than 500 feet from the stage where Mr. Trump was speaking. Lawmakers have also pointed fingers at the conduct of agents in the moments after the shooting, including allowing Mr. Trump to linger on the stage and raise a fist before the crowd.
How is the F.B.I. investigation progressing?
The F.B.I. is leading the main criminal investigation into the shooting. Federal officials said they have found no evidence that the shooting was part of a larger plot, but have not ruled out any scenario.
The F.B.I. said Monday that it had gained access to the shooter’s cellphone. But they still do not have a motive for the gunman, identified by law enforcement as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He had no criminal history and no known strong political beliefs. Federal investigators hope that the data on his password-protected phone will shed light on the shooting.
If the shooter acted alone, it is unlikely any criminal charges will be brought, as Mr. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper at the scene.
What is the Homeland Security Department examining?
Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, called the shooting a security failure and said the department would conduct an internal investigation.
“We have a fail-proof responsibility,” he said in an interview on CNN that aired Monday. But Mr. Mayorkas said he remained confident in the Secret Service and its director, Kimberly A. Cheatle.
The department’s inspector general has a mandate to review the Secret Service, making an investigation inevitable. Independent investigations led by Congress or directed by external officials are more likely to shed light on security failures leading up to the attack.
In her statement on Monday, Ms. Cheatle said the Secret Service was working with federal, state and local agencies “to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again.” She said the agency would “participate fully” in the independent review announced by President Biden, as well as cooperating with congressional committees.
Will Congress launch an independent commission to investigate?
At least five congressional committees in the House and Senate have held briefings or called hearings on the shooting. Ms. Cheatle is expected to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, in the first of three hearings on Capitol Hill next week about the assassination attempt.
Ahead of Ms. Cheatle’s testimony, the oversight panel’s leader, Representative James R. Comer, Republican of Kentucky, and Representative Mark E. Green, Republican of Tennessee, who leads the House Homeland Security Committee, which has also committed to investigating the shooting, have demanded a trove of documents, recordings and communications from Ms. Cheatle and other top federal law enforcement officials.
They have asked for the security plan for the rally and other documents and communications, including those that took place in the aftermath of the shooting.
Mr. Green has also asked Ms. Cheatle, Mr. Mayorkas and Christopher Wray, the director of the F.B.I., to testify before his panel next week, saying: “The American people want answers.”
The House Judiciary Committee will hear from Mr. Wray next Wednesday, the third hearing related to the attack at the rally.
Some lawmakers have called for an independent commission to lead an investigation, along the lines of the Warren Commission that examined the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Because Congress can demand and review documents and evidence from across federal, state and local agencies, a congressional investigation would probably be best equipped to present a thorough, independent review of the assassination attempt. But its answers may not prove satisfactory to everyone, as was the case with the Warren Commission, whose conclusion that the gunman Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone has been the subject of speculation and debate for decades.
Our Coverage of the Trump Rally Shooting
The Investigation: F.B.I. officials told Congress that the 20-year-old gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump used his cellphone and other devices to search for images of Trump and President Biden.
Security Blind Spots: Even as investigators continue to examine what happened at the Trump rally, it is already clear that there were multiple missed opportunities to stop the gunman before the situation turned deadly.
Secret Service Director: Kimberly Cheatle returned in 2022 to lead the agency she had served for nearly 30 years. Now, the assassination attempt on Trump has thrown her tenure into uncertainty.
Fears of What’s Next: Among voters, there is growing anxiety that America’s political divide is nearly beyond repair, and the shooting only made things worse.
Gunman’s Phone Had Details About Both Trump and Biden, F.B.I. Officials Say
The disclosure, during private briefings to lawmakers in the House and Senate, offered more details from the early stages of the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump.
The F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, last year. On a conference call with members of Congress on Wednesday, he went out of his way to caution that the investigation was still in its early stages.Credit...Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times
Glenn Thrush and Luke Broadwater reported from Washington.
F.B.I. officials told members of Congress on Wednesday that the gunman who tried to kill former President Donald J. Trump used his cellphone and other devices to search for images of Mr. Trump and President Biden, along with an array of public figures.
The 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa., also looked up dates of Mr. Trump’s appearances and the Democratic National Convention, according to people on two conference calls held to answer lawmakers’ questions.
And, at least once, his browsing history signaled concerns about his own mental state.
The disclosures, made during private briefings to lawmakers by the F.B.I. and the head of the embattled Secret Service, offered the most complete portrait so far of a would-be assassin with no criminal history, or even clearly discernible political beliefs, who came close to killing Mr. Trump. Still, no clear motive for the attack has emerged.
The official assessment aligned with recollections of people who knew him. Several former classmates have said they never heard the gunman express any particular political ideology. But Vincent Taormina, a former classmate who said he attended middle school and high school with the gunman, said in an interview that Mr. Crooks showed a general disdain for politicians in both parties.
He recalled one instance when the two were in seventh grade. During a classroom political debate, Mr. Taormina voiced his support for Mr. Trump. Mr. Crooks seemed incredulous.
“He says, ‘Aren’t you Hispanic? And you like Trump?’” Mr. Taormina said. “He said, ‘That’s a little stupid.’”
Mr. Taormina brushed off the encounter, and had few other interactions with Mr. Crooks. But he disputed other classmates’ accounts that the gunman had been bullied or had been a loner, saying that he was intelligent and had his own small group of friends.
“I did not know him personally or as a friend, but he was not bullied, he was not a recluse,” Mr. Taormina said.
The F.B.I. has been scouring Mr. Crooks’s possessions since the shooting on Saturday — including two phones and at least one laptop — for clues about his motive. So far, they have found no indication that Mr. Crooks, who was a registered Republican, had strong partisan political views one way or another, bureau officials told lawmakers.
Nor have they uncovered any evidence of co-conspirators or connections to foreign actors, two top bureau officials said during the tense calls in which members of the House and Senate demanded answers about a nearly catastrophic failure to safeguard Mr. Trump.
The investigation is proving to be tricky. That was illustrated when officials on one of the calls said they were investigating the possibility that an account bearing Mr. Crooks’s name on the gaming platform Steam had previewed the attack, with a post saying he would make his “premiere” on July 13, the day of the shooting. But upon further examination, that now seems to have been a fake, according to law enforcement officials.
A more substantial development concerned the shooter’s state of mind. The officials told lawmakers that there was some indication that the gunman, who led a quiet life and worked at a nursing home near his house, might have been struggling with depression.
Officials singled out some of the searches on one of his cellphones, saying that he had looked up “major depressive disorder,” according to a person on the calls and another briefed on its contents.
Our politics reporters.Times journalists are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. That includes participating in rallies and donating money to a candidate or cause.
Mr. Crooks seems to have been on good terms with his parents, who are both counselors, but they were not closely involved in the day-to-day details of his life, officials said.
Over the last several months, the gunman received multiple packages, including several that were marked “hazardous material,” according to a federal law enforcement memo obtained by The New York Times. Federal officials reviewed his shipping history after they discovered three explosive devices connected to him, the memo said. One device was found in his home, and two others were found in his car parked near the rally.
Investigators discovered two improvised explosive devices in the would-be assassin’s car that used a radio-controlled initiation system intended for commercial fireworks demonstrations.
While the briefing on Wednesday filled in some blanks, it left many questions unanswered. Federal law enforcement officials are puzzled and exasperated by the lack of evidence on the gunman’s two phones, one found by his body on the roof of a warehouse outside the security perimeter of the rally, the other discovered during a search of his house.
F.B.I. officials, speaking on the calls, suggested that his search history indicated he was broadly interested in powerful and famous people, without any obvious ideological or partisan pattern.
Among the other prominent figures the gunman searched for using one of his phones, besides Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, were the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray; Attorney General Merrick B. Garland; and a member of the British royal family, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter publicly.
Mr. Wray, who was also on the calls, went out of his way to caution that the investigation was still in its early stages.
But the absence of “any political or ideological information” at the house Mr. Crooks shared with his mother and father was “notable” because most people who carry out acts of political violence tend to leave a discernible trail of political views, a top bureau official told lawmakers.
Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, admitted that her agency made serious “mistakes” during one of the calls, and provided new information about Mr. Crooks’s movements during the shooting. She is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday.
During the briefing with senators, officials ran through a timeline of events, noting that law enforcement officers had identified the gunman as suspicious about an hour before the shooting but then lost track of him, according to two people familiar with the contents of the briefing.
About 20 minutes before the shooting, a sniper spotted him again, the people said.
Some senators left their call angry with the Secret Service after learning that officers did not intervene before he opened fire
“He had a rangefinder and a backpack. The Secret Service lost sight of him. No one has taken responsibility,” Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, said in a statement, adding, “The head of the Secret Service needs to go.”
Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, called on federal law enforcement agencies to publicly release the same details shared with lawmakers.
“The Biden administration has got to start being open with Americans about what happened, who is being held accountable and how we make sure it never happens again,” he said.
Chelsia Rose Marcius contributed reporting from Butler, Pa., and Adam Goldman from Washington.
Glenn Thrush covers the Department of Justice and has also written about gun violence, civil rights and conditions in the country’s jails and prisons.More about Glenn Thrush
Jack Healy is a Phoenix-based national correspondent who focuses on the fast-changing politics and climate of the Southwest. He has worked in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a graduate of the University of Missouri’s journalism school.More about Jack Healy
BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — Investigators are still combing through the Butler County Farm Show grounds three days after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump.
Secret Service director reaches out to local law enforcement
KDKA-TV learned that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle called Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe and applauded their efforts at Saturday's rally.
"I was told the director of the Secret Service has taken responsibility by I believe the statement that the buck stops here with her," Slupe said. "I applauded that statement and reflected on the sheriff's office and myself as a leader. And if something happened under my watch, I would take responsibility as well."
"That building in particular has a sloped roof, at its highest point. And so, there's a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn't want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside."
It's still unclear who made that decision.
Sources told KDKA-TV that one or two members of a local SWAT team were assigned to the AGR complex near the rally. They were stationed inside the building and looking out the windows with no access to the roof, sources added.
Who was responsible for securing the area?
KDKA-TV has asked who was responsible for that area and what instructions they got from the Secret Service, but no one will comment.
Sources said what may have added to communication issues is that there were two command posts: one for the Secret Service and state police and one for local authorities.
"Do you think there were enough Secret Service for this detail at the Trump rally?" KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso asked.
"There was enough law enforcement at the Trump rally," Slupe said.
Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement that 30 to 40 troopers were at the rally to help with security inside the perimeter. State police said they had no responsibility for security anywhere on AGR's property.
Jennifer Borrasso joined the KDKA News team as a reporter in August 2019. Jennifer has over 20 years of broadcast experience. Her news philosophy is simple: tell good stories.
with Trump Rally Supports
Analysis
Open campaign events, such as Saturday's, are tough to secure against all threats, but insiders said they were surprised that the gunman was able to scale a roof overlooking the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump was speaking.
A "fundamental security failure" allowed a gunman to get close enough to Donald Trump to shoot him, according to an analysis of the scene of the assassination attempt.
Sky News analysis of the area where the former president was shot from as he gave a speech to supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, suggests a large tree blocked the view between the gunman and the closest armed protection unit.
What Trump said after being shot
He told NBC, Sky's US partner: "They were behind the curve, because they should have had those places covered ahead of time."
His comments come after the BBC interviewed a man who described himself as an eyewitness, who said he saw a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event.
The person, who the BBC did not name, said he and other people he was with started trying to alert security, pointing at the man.
The Nato 5.56 cartridge fires the bullet at a velocity of 3,250 feet per second — almost three times the speed of sound (1,125 feet per second). A bullet moving at this speed induces air pressure changes around the bullet that produce a contrail similar to those that form on the low pressure side of aircraft wings.
What could possibly explain the catastrophic failure to secure the perimeter around the stage? It’s hard for me to imagine a legitimate explanation for such a lapse of such elementary security procedures.
" The SS snipers appear to see the gunman and only shoot him AFTER the shooter fires first. Between the testimony of the witness who attempted to notify police and security that there was a shooter on the roof for a few minutes, and the actual shooting with video of the snipers, it looks to me like the snipers were waiting for Trump to be taken out before shooting the shooter. There's other video (pretty poor) where people are yelling "He's got a gun!" and you hear a chamber being racked close by (possibly security in the crowd), before the shots are heard shooting at Trump. This smells like a setup gone wrong. Thank God!.."...Justin
Ron July 2024
The secret service is one of the most patriotic services in the country. They're trained to take a bullet for the president whether the agree with his politics or not. But it only takes one bad apple. In fact bystanders were pointing out the sniper to secret service and police minutes before shots were fired. So the SS does have some explaining to do.
Retired Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent Jim Cavanaugh said he was surprised the gunman was able to occupy a raised position within rifle range of the rally site.
Mr Cavanaugh said: "Whenever I've been with them, every single high ground is taken by them or the local SWAT police. There's nobody allowed walking on rooftops. They command the high ground."
He said a high-powered rifle like an AR-15 can hit targets 600ft (182m) away and Mr Trump was about 444ft (135m) from the rooftop where the gunman was found dead, NBC News said, based on an analysis of Google Earth images.
Mr Cavanaugh said: "Having been on Secret Service details, it's amazing to me that somebody was on an elevated position that they didn't know about."
FBI special agent Kevin Rojek told reporters law enforcement was not aware there was a man on the rooftop until he started firing, and said it was "surprising" how many shots the gunman managed to fire.
Trump supporters in the front row of the rally heard a series of pops and saw Secret Service agents jump on the stage as Mr Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate in November's presidential election, ducked.
Mr Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site a couple of hours later that a bullet "pierced the upper part of my right ear.
"I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening."
What saved Donald Trump's Life from a well planned authorised assassination from the top of the food chain in control of the USA Security Operatives to allow a shooter to find a convenient spot to shoot Donald Trump from was that Donald Trump moved his head to look at his other tele-monitor... A top security analyist who spoke t the USAWEEKLY.COM.AU said that Trump must have been protected by God to allow him to live to become the next USA President ... by having two tele-monitors he moved his head to and from .. and moved his heard just at the right time when the assassins bullet would have normally hit his head in the middle of Donald Trump's forehead
What Trump said after being shot
He told NBC, Sky's US partner: "They were behind the curve, because they should have had those places covered ahead of time." His comments come after the BBC interviewed a man who described himself as an eyewitness, who said he saw a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event. The person, who the BBC did not name, said he and other people he was with started trying to alert security, pointing at the man.
Thomas Matthew Crooks in the 2022 Bethel Park High School Commencement. Photo: The Bethel Park School District/AP.
Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger told AP on Sunday that Crooks had been previously unknown to investigators in his county and had not been on their radar
Thomas Matthew Crooks was a member of a shooting club and train for around 12 months to be able to be a good enough shooter to be able at hit Donald Trump's forehead form a 130 yard range. It makes no difference whether Thomas Matthew Crooks was quietly working under instructions of others or was mind controlled by others to train and carry out an assassination of Donald Trump, which is very likely the case, ... the real issue here is that there would be thousands of people who would want to assassinate Donald Trump for all sorts of reasons. .... all those running the security Agencies that are meant to be protecting the life and well being of Donald Trump being a former president of the USA... would be well aware of this fact.. so as Colonel Leroy Fletcher Prouty says in his book The Secret Team, the person or persons or organisations that are the cause of an assassination attempt of a high profile person, who in normal circumstances always has top security at public appearances, that are responsible for inefficient low level security on a particular day, are responsible and are the cause of such assassination attempt....
As I have observed in previous columns, our era in the United States is frequently beset with incidents characterized by a catastrophic loss of competence. Decades of procedural knowledge seem to vanish from one day to the next, leaving sensible people wondering how it could possibly happen.
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump this evening at the the Butler Farm Show Grounds is a perfect example of this bizarre phenomenon. The shooter climbed onto the roof—purportedly with an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle —120 meters from Trump on the stage. From this vantage point, he had a clear line of sight for a shot that would have been easy for even a middling marksman. The following aerial photograph shows the shooter’s position relative to Trumps.
As anyone who understands the rudiments of security knows, the FIRST thing you do is secure all rooftops within sniper range. Note in the following video that a counter sniper (with the word POLICE embroidered on the back of his vest) on the roof behind Trump is scoping the would-be assassin’s position.
He appears to see the would-be assassin and start to engage (while flinching) right before the would-be assassin’s shots can be heard. Clearly the counter snipers knew that the rooftop presented a high risk position or they wouldn’t have been scoping it.
Why wasn’t this building—AGR International Inc., a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm show ground—secured before Trump began speaking? It seems to me that this building would be the first thing a security detail would secure. The green pin on the roof to the east of Trump’s position marks where the counter snipers are posted. Again, why didn’t they just secure the building onto which the shooter climbed? This makes no sense.
Here Is The Venue
The gunman apparently fired right as Trump looked to the right, towards the gunman. The grazing shot to Trump’s right ear was just a centimeter to the left (from the gunman’s POV) of a fatal head shot. I emphasize that the gunman was positioned at very close range. In the following video, I hit a small condiment package at 75 yards on the second shot with the same kind of rifle with open sights.
Note what appears to be a vapor trail behind the bullet.
The Nato 5.56 cartridge fires the bullet at a velocity of 3,250 feet per second — almost three times the speed of sound (1,125 feet per second). A bullet moving at this speed induces air pressure changes around the bullet that produce a contrail similar to those that form on the low pressure side of aircraft wings.
What could possibly explain the catastrophic failure to secure the perimeter around the stage? It’s hard for me to imagine a legitimate explanation for such a lapse of such elementary security procedures
The gunman's motive in the Saturday attack on the president remains unclear four days after he opened fire at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — injuring Trump and two others, and killing a rallygoer.
The U.S. Secret Service is facing mounting questions about the security flaws that allowed the shooter to fire from a rooftop near the rally.
Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before the 20-year-old opened fire.
Details about the moments before the shooting are emerging. A sniper from a local tactical team deployed to assist the U.S. Secret Service at the rally took a picture of the gunman and saw him looking through a rangefinder minutes before he tried to assassinate the former president, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the events told CBS News.
The sniper was one of three members of local tactical teams who were stationed inside the building that the shooter used in the attack, the officer said. The operations plan had them stationed inside, looking out windows toward the rally, scanning the crowd. The details about the three snipers were first reported by the local news outlet BeaverCountian.com.
A federal law enforcement bulletin obtained by CBS News identified the gunman as "an apparent lone attacker." The FBI is investigating whether he was a politically motivated homegrown domestic violent extremist.
The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is opening an investigation into the rally's planning, and President Biden said he is directing an independent review of security and events at the rally to determine what went wrong.
Donald Trump doesn't have stitches, but a "nice flesh wound," Eric Trump says
Donald Trump's son Eric Trump said his father doesn't have stitches, but has a "nice flesh wound" after the shooting.
The former president's right ear was hit by gunfire, and when he appeared at the Republican National Convention on Monday and Tuesday, he wore a large bandage over the injury.
Speaking to "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil from the floor of the convention in Milwaukee Wednesday morning, Eric Trump said his father has referred to the injury as "the greatest earache he's ever had."
"You know, he was millimeters away from having his life expunged ... I'm sure the ear doesn't feel well," Eric Trump said.
BY KERRY BREEN
9:20 AM
Federal law enforcement officials to brief Congress
Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are set to receive briefings from federal law enforcement officials Wednesday afternoon, multiple sources familiar with the briefing told CBS News.
The House and Senate will receive briefings from the Justice Department, U.S. Secret Service and FBI officials over the phone, with lawmakers away from Washington this week.
The separate briefings come amid an outcry of condemnation for the attack from members of Congress, along with plans to investigate the incident.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night that the House would conduct an "immediate and thorough investigation."
"The American people deserve to know the truth and we will ensure accountability," Johnson said.
BY KAIA HUBBARD
8:58 AM
Gun range president where shooter was member: "We know very little about him"
Through his family, the gunman was a member of the Clairton Sportsmen's Club, a shooting range about 11 miles east of his hometown, Bethel Park. The club has an outdoor range for high-powered rifles with targets set at distances of up to about 560 feet.
"We know very little about him," club president Bill Sellitto told The Associated Press. "That was a terrible, terrible thing that happened Saturday — that's not what we're about by any means."
The gunman fired from the roof of a building about 410 feet from the main rally stage. The building was just outside the bounds of a security perimeter established on the property, CBS News previously reported.
— CBS/AP
7:43 AM
Homeland Security inspector general probing rally planning
The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is opening an investigation into the planning of the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The investigation is listed on the inspector general's office's website as an "ongoing project" that aims to evaluate the U.S. Secret Service's process for securing the event.
The investigation is separate from one President Biden announced on Sunday, when he said he is directing an independent review of the security and events at the rally to determine what went wrong.
BY NICOLE SGANGA
6:44 AM
Security experts question why building wasn't secured
The gunman who opened fire on former President Donald Trump was on the roof of a building about 410 feet from the stage where he was addressing the crowd. Security experts questioned why the building hadn't been included in the security perimeter set up for the rally by the Secret Service.
Patrick Brosnan, a former New York Police Department detective who runs a national private intelligence and security firm that has protected heads of state, told The Associated Press that a building that close to the stage should have been secured and under surveillance from the start.
"It would just seem to me to be elemental and rudimentary as it relates to providing a steel band or circular band of protection for the former president, who is fully exposed," said Brosnan, who has trained with the Secret Service and spoken in the past to Trump and his family about security issues.
Stan Kephart, a former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents, called the situation "an absolute and abysmal failure" on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump. The agency is ultimately responsible for the candidate's safety, he noted.
"You don't get to blame other people. They are under your control," said Kephart.
Moments after the gunman opened fire, he was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper positioned on a rooftop behind the stage.
This image shows the location of the shooting site, about 400 feet from the stage, at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.GOOGLE EARTH/CBS NEWS
–CBS/AP
4:36 AM
Huckabee Sanders: "God Almighty intervened" in Trump shooting
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was White House press secretary for most of the Trump administration, invoked the divine during her address to the Republican National Convention on its second night Tuesday.
Speaking about Trump surviving Saturday's assassination attempt, Sanders said, "not even an assassin's bullet could stop him," adding, "God Almighty intervened because America is one nation under God and he is certainly not finished with President Trump." That drew loud applause.
Iran on Wednesday rejected what it called "malicious" accusations by U.S. media implicating it in Saturday's attempt to kill former President Donald Trump.
Tehran "strongly rejects any involvement in the recent armed attack against Trump," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said, while Iran's mission to the United Nations called accusations of a previous plot to kill the former president "unsubstantiated and malicious."
U.S. intelligence recently detected an Iranian plot against Trump, and the information was shared with the Secret Service before Saturday's event in Pennsylvania, two U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News on Tuesday.
The National Security Council said it's been tracking Iranian threats against the former president for years, though no ties have been identified between Saturday's shooting and a foreign actor. –CBS/AFP
11:42 PM
Oversight Committee chair to subpoena Secret Service director
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee's chairman plans to subpoena Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for testimony on the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, a spokeswoman for the panel said Tuesday.
Cheatle is set to appear before committee members for an oversight hearing on July 22, Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, announced Monday. While the Secret Service also agreed to brief lawmakers on Tuesday, the panel's spokeswoman said, the Department of Homeland Security "took over communications" with the committee and has not confirmed a time for the briefing.
Cheatle's job at the helm of the Secret Service has come under scrutiny following the shooting at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. One spectator, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed in the attack and two others, Marine Corps veteran David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were wounded.
The head of the House Homeland Security Panel, Rep. Mark Green, also invited Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Chris Wray and Cheatle to testify before lawmakers on July 23.
New details about the moments leading up to attempted assassination
CBS News analysis of video from the scene shows that two minutes lapsed between the first warnings about a man with a gun at the Trump rally and the first shot being fired. CBS News' Charlie De Mar and Nicole Sganga break down the details in the video below.
House Speaker Johnson promises "thorough investigation" of assassination attempt
House Speaker Mike Johnson assured supporters on the second night of the Republican National Convention that the House would conduct an "immediate and thorough investigation" of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
"Everyone, hear me clearly and listen to me at home, and make no mistake: The House is conducting an immediate and thorough investigation of these tragic events," Johnson told the crowd gathered in Milwaukee. "That work has already begun. The American people deserve to know the truth, and we will ensure accountability."
Referring to the Republican Party as a "law and order team," Johnson said the rule of law in the country was in "serious jeopardy."
"We've come to a moment in America where the basic things that we once took for granted are being openly challenged like never before," Johnson said. "We're now in the midst of a struggle between two completely different visions of who we are as Americans and what our country will be."
BY S. DEV
8:56 PM
Pennsylvania man who died during rally will receive public procession on Thursday
Corey Comperatore, the retired fire chief who was killed on Saturday at the Trump rally, will receive a public procession on Thursday.
The public will be able to attend the procession through Freeport Community Park in Freeport, Pennsylvania, which will be followed by a public visitation and, later, a private funeral.
At a security meeting on Tuesday, law enforcement officials said they expect a line out the door.
"At the end of the day I think we need to remember Corey," Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe said about the 50-year-old former firefighter who died while shielding his family from gunfire.
Eric Trump calls failures that led up to assassination attempt "infuriating"
Former President Trump's second son, Eric Trump, called the failures that led up to the assassination attempt against his father "infuriating."
Eric Trump spoke with "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell on Tuesday about his father's recovery, security going forward and the future of the campaign.
The former president was dealing with "the greatest earache in the history of earaches," his son said.
"You see the picture, right? The famous New York Times picture now, where you literally see the vapor trail of the bullet coming out of the backside of his ear," Eric Trump said. "It's hard to believe it could've been so much different. I can't even imagine what that would've meant for this country."
Eric Trump also said it was "infuriating" that snipers and rally attendees spotted the shooter as early as 26 minutes before the first shots were fired.
Friends describe Marine veteran wounded at rally as "wonderful" and "supportive"
Friends of David Dutch, the Marine veteran who was one of two people critically wounded at Saturday's campaign rally, described him as "wonderful" and "supportive."
Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, was airlifted to Allegheny General Hospital after being shot at the rally.
"No one knows him by David. We all know him by Jake," Dee Rakar told CBS Pittsburgh's KDKA station. "He's a wonderful person, loves his gun bashes, and he likes his gambling."
Rakar, who like Dutch is a member of the veterans group the American Legion, described Dutch as a dedicated Marine veteran who loves his country and often visited the legion's post in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, with his wife.
Butler County employees facing threats and harassment after rally shooting, official says
Butler County employees are facing threats and harassment following Saturday's assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, according to a town official.
"It's frustrating and it's sad because the city employees had nothing to do with what happened at the farm show grounds," Butler Councilman Donald Shearer told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA.
Workers say they are facing hostile emails and threats blaming them for what happened in the small town of just about 13,000 people.
Biden says it's time to ban AR-15-style rifles after Trump rally shooting
President Biden, speaking at the NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas on Tuesday, once again condemned the violence that took place on Saturday and called to ban the type of weapon involved in the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
After noting that an AR-15-style rifle was used in the shooting, Mr. Biden said it was time to outlaw the weapons. "I did it once, and I will do it again," he said, in reference to his support for the 10-year assault weapons ban passed by Congress in 1994.
"We're grateful he was not seriously injured," Mr. Biden said about Trump. "We continue to pray for him and his family."
Mr. Biden said it was a "tense moment" for the country and that it's time for an important national conversation. "Our politics has gotten too heated," he said, echoing his Oval Office address on Sunday. He said that "we all have a responsibility to lower the temperature and condemn violence in any form."
"We gotta remember, in America, we're not enemies, we're friends. We're neighbors," the president said. "We have to say with one voice that violence is not the answer. That's what we should rally around as a nation. That's the unity I'm talking about."
BY KRISTIN BROWN
6:19 PM / JULY 16, 2024
Hospital director describes emergency response to Trump rally shooting
Allegheny Health Network's medical director said he was at a birthday party on Saturday when he started receiving calls and texts to come to the hospital.
"We didn't know what the situation was going to be," Dr. Brent Rau, the network's director, told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA. "We were told that there were shots fired and there could be multiple casualties."
Medics from AHN were already in Butler, Pennsylvania, to treat tactical teams for potential injuries, but they quickly shifted gear when bullets started flying at the rally.
Within minutes of the shooting, two helicopters arrived at the Butler Farm Show grounds where the rally was being held. The choppers took the two wounded victims to Allegheny General Hospital more than 30 miles away, where they are still recovering.
BY CHRIS HOFFMAN
5:46 PM / JULY 16, 2024
Increase in Trump's security detail last month was connected to Iranian threats, official says
The bolstering of former President Donald Trump's Secret Service assets in June was connected to Iranian threats, an official familiar with the situation confirmed to CBS News on Tuesday.
CBS News has learned the intelligence goes beyond chatter and involves human source intelligence obtained by the U.S.
CBS News previously reported that, according to multiple law enforcement officials, the Secret Service bolstered Trump's security in June after several requests from his detail for more assets.
Additional resources – including Counter Assault Team personnel, counter sniper team personnel, drones and robotic dogs – were provided. Some of these resources came from the Candidate Nominee Operations Section of the Secret Service.
Family of wounded victim thanks responders and hospital staff, offers prayers for Trump
The family of 74-year-old James Copenhaver, one of the two people critically wounded in the rally shooting, thanked people on Tuesday for the outpouring of support.
"Jim would like to especially thank the first responders, medics, and hospital staff who have provided him with initial and continuing care," the Copenhaver family said in a statement. "Additionally, Jim would like to express his thoughts and prayers for the other victims, their families, and President Trump. He prays for a safe and speedy recovery for them all."
James Copenhaver of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, and 57-year-old David Dutch, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, were both hospitalized in critical but stable condition at Allegheny General Hospital after being shot at the rally.
Copenhaver's family asked the news media, the public and friends to respect the family's privacy as Copenhaver and his family recover from what they called "this horrible, senseless, and unnecessary act of violence."
As of Tuesday afternoon, he remained in critical but stable condition, according to the Allegheny Health Network.
BY S. DEV
4:58 PM / JULY 16, 2024
Butler County sheriff says officers upset they couldn't stop Trump rally attack
Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe says he and other law enforcement officers were upset they couldn't stop the shooting.
Slupe told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA's Andy Sheehan that he was happy to be at former President Donald Trump's rally on Saturday as both a law enforcement officer and a supporter.
"I was lucky enough to be in uniform as a sheriff and as a guest," Slupe said in an interview Monday. "I was sitting in the second row behind the bike rack, just feet from the catwalk where the president would come up."
When the shooting started, Slupe initially thought fireworks were going off. Police earlier that day had responded to reports of fireworks. "In my mind, I'm thinking, 'What idiot is out here shooting fireworks?'" Slupe recalled.
But shortly after the attack and the ensuing panic, Slupe was on his radio calling for medics and an ambulance.
"I think every law enforcement officer that was on scene, and probably those that weren't, are upset … that we couldn't have stopped this prior to this happening," Slupe said. "I love President Trump. I'm a huge supporter."
Slupe said he thought there were enough law enforcement officers at the rally, and he defended the actions of those at the scene. "There's going to be plenty of investigations. There's going to be plenty of finger pointing," Slupe said. "But at the end of the day, I know my deputies did a great job. The police did a great job."
He added, "At the end of the day, we're all going to learn something from this."
BY S. DEV
3:27 PM / JULY 16, 2024
U.S. intelligence recently detected Iranian plot against Trump, officials say
U.S. intelligence recently detected an Iranian plot against former President Donald Trump, and the information was shared with the Secret Service before Saturday's event in Pennsylvania, two U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News on Tuesday.
The National Security Council said it has been tracking Iranian threats against the former president for years, though no ties have been identified between Saturday's shooting and a foreign actor.
In response to the intelligence, the Secret Service said it is constantly receiving new information about potential threats, but wouldn't comment on specific threats.
"The Secret Service and other agencies are constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources, as needed," Anthony Guglielmi, U.S. Secret Service Chief of Communication, said on Tuesday.
After learning of the increased threat from Iran, the NSC directly contacted the Secret Service at a senior level to make sure the agency continued to track the latest reporting, an official said. The Secret Service shared the information with Trump's security detail, and the Trump campaign was made aware of an evolving threat.
In response, the Secret Service had increased resources and assets for the protection of Trump before Saturday, the official said.
"These threats arise from Iran's desire to seek revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani," NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.
Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani, a prominent Iranian military commander, in early 2020. The former president took a hardline approach to Iran during his administration and withdrew from the nuclear deal brokered with Iran under the Obama administration.
"We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority," Watson said, adding, "At this time, law enforcement has reported that their investigation has not identified ties between the shooter and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic."
A Trump campaign spokesperson declined to comment on the former president's security detail.
—Nicole Sganga and Fin Gómez contributed reporting.
BY ANDRES TRIAY
2:13 PM / JULY 16, 2024
Trump and JD Vance to hold rally in Michigan on Saturday
Trump and his newly-announced vice-presidential running mate, JD Vance, will hold a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 20, one week after an attempt on the former president's life.
In an announcement, the Trump campaign did not mention the shooting, but said it would be the pair's first appearance since officially accepting the Republican nomination for president and vice president.
Both are expected to speak at the rally, which is scheduled to be held at the Van Andel Arena at 5 p.m. ET.
BY KERRY BREEN
1:39 PM / JULY 16, 2024
Sniper took picture of Trump rally shooter before attack, source says
A sniper from a local tactical team deployed to assist the U.S. Secret Service at Trump's rally took a picture of the gunman and saw him looking through a rangefinder minutes before he tried to assassinate the former president, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the events told CBS News.
The sniper was one of three snipers, members of local tactical teams, who were stationed inside the building that the shooter used in the attack, the officer said. The operations plan had them stationed inside, looking out windows toward the rally, scanning the crowd. The details about the three snipers were first reported by the local news outlet BeaverCountian.com.
One sniper inside spotted the gunman outside and looking up at the roof, observing the building and disappearing, according to the officer who spoke to CBS News. The sniper observed the gunman as he returned to the building, sat down and looked at his phone. At that point, one of the local snipers took a picture of him.
Next, the local sniper observed the gunman looking through a rangefinder, an instrument routinely used by marksmen to determine the distance of a target, and he immediately radioed to the command post, according to the local law enforcement officer. The local sniper also attempted to send the photo of the gunman up the chain of command.
Increased security expected at U.S. Capitol, but no credible threats to members, Senate Sergeant at Arms says
There are "no specific or credible threats" to the U.S. Capitol or its members after the attempted assassination, according to a notice from the Senate Sergeant of Arms reviewed by CBS News.
The notice cautioned that there will be a "higher than normal Capitol Police presence" in the upcoming weeks, including "increased K-9 sweeps, security checks and other proactive security measures."
BY NIKOLE KILLION
12:15 PM / JULY 16, 2024
FBI, Secret Service, Homeland Security heads asked to testify
House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green, a Republican from Tennessee, has invited multiple officials to testify in an oversight committee hearing examining the assassination attempt on Trump.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI director Christopher Wray and Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle have all been invited to testify before the committee on July 23.
"It is imperative that we partner to understand what went wrong, and how Congress can work with the departments and agencies to ensure this never happens again," Green said in a statement. "Successful oversight requires Congress to work together with these officials as they testify publicly before the House Committee on Homeland Security. The American people, and the individuals and families who receive protective services, deserve nothing less."
Green previously sent a letter to Mayorkas demanding the security plan for the site of Trump's rally, communications related to protective resources on Trump's security detail, and briefing materials used to tell President Biden about the assassination attempt.
BY KERRY BREEN
11:42 AM / JULY 16, 2024
Shooter bought a ladder before Trump rally
Two law enforcement sources told CBS News the shooter purchased a ladder at Home Depot prior to the shooting, but it is unclear if he brought the ladder to the rally venue on Saturday. This was first reported by CNN.
Home Depot said in a statement, "we condemn the violence against former President Trump, and our thoughts are with him, the other victims of Saturday's horrific events, and their families."
—Nicole Sganga and Adam Yamaguchi
11:28 AM / JULY 16, 2024
Neighbors of Trump rally shooter react to investigation
Authorities have searched the home of the man who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump – putting a small town in Pennsylvania in the spotlight of the investigation.
One anonymous neighbor told CBS News Pittsburgh that he had to disconnect his phone after receiving 100 calls from around the world related to the shooting, which killed a rally attendee and injured Trump and two others.
A person was seen walking a suitcase into the shooter's home on Monday night. The person did not respond to media questions, and could not be immediately identified, CBS News Pittsburgh reported.
Some neighbors recalled interactions with the gunman and his family.
"I had a really pleasant conversation with them," said Alleghany County councilman Dan Grzybek, who lives on the same street as the shooter and visited the home while campaigning. "I got the perception they were nice people."
Grzybek said he fears the shooter's actions will "result in further political violence."
"I think people are worried that conspiracy theorists are going to come to the area and do something not particularly smart," he said.
Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before the 20-year-old fired at Trump.
Less than 15 seconds before the shots, people are seen running away from the area. Moments later, some in the crowd begin shouting that the man on the roof has a gun.
The gunman killed Corey Comperatore, a firefighter. He also wounded two others aside from Trump: 57-year-old Marine Corps veteran David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver.
Seconds later, a Secret Service counter sniper fatally shot Crooks.
The FBI said it had conducted nearly 100 interviews of law enforcement officials, attendees at the rally and other witnesses as of Monday afternoon, as it investigates the attack as a potential act of domestic terrorism.
It has also received hundreds of digital media tips, according to a press release, but has not identified a clear ideological motive.
The FBI believes the shooter — who was not previously known to the FBI — acted alone, with a gun that was purchased by his father.
Searches of the shooter's home and vehicle are complete, according to the FBI, and authorities are analyzing his electronic devices.
10:30 AM / JULY 16, 2024
Shooting followed "absolute and abysmal failure," expert says
A former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents said the shooting followed an "an absolute and abysmal failure" on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump. The agency is ultimately responsible for the candidate's safety, said Stan Kephart.
"You don't get to blame other people," said Kephart, who is now a consulting expert on law enforcement event security. "They are under your control."
At least a dozen police officers and sheriff's deputies were assisting the U.S. Secret Service and Pennsylvania State Police with rally security.
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
10:23 AM / JULY 16, 2024
Biden says he shouldn't have said "bullseye" when referring to Trump
President Biden said in an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt that he should not have used the word "bullseye" when referring to how his campaign should treat Trump, but still wants to put the focus squarely on his opponent's record and rhetoric heading into November.
"I was talking about focus on, look, the truth of the matter was, what I guess I was talking about at the time was, there was very little focus on Trump's agenda," Mr. Biden said Monday.
"It was a mistake to use the word," the president said, but added, "I meant focus on him. Focus on what he's doing."
"I'm not the guy that said, I want to be a dictator on day one. I'm not the guy that refused to accept the outcome of the election. I'm not the guy who said they won't accept the outcome of this election automatically," Mr. Biden said. "You can't only love your country when you win. And so, the focus was on what he's saying and the idea."
Asked if he had done any "soul searching" about his rhetoric, Mr. Biden said, "How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like he says? Do you just not say anything, because it may incite somebody?"
"I've not engaged in that rhetoric," Mr. Biden insisted. "Now, my opponent is engaged in that rhetoric. He talks about, there'll be a bloodbath if he loses. Talking about how he's going to forgive all the ... I guess suspend the sentence of all those who were arrested and sentenced to go to jail because of what happened in the Capitol."
The Secret Service sniper who neutralized the gunman fired one round and was assisted by a spotter, according to two federal law enforcement officials with knowledge of the response to the shooting.
The sniper who took out the gunman was located on the roof behind and to Trump's to his left — the square furthest to the right in the below map.
This image shows the location of the shooting site, about 400 feet from the stage, at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.GOOGLE EARTH/CBS NEWS
BY NICOLE SGANGA
8:18 AM / JULY 16, 2024
FBI continues looking into Trump shooter's background
The man who attempted to assassinate Trump purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun store in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, before arriving at the rally site, according to a law enforcement bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI obtained by CBS News.
The FBI is investigating whether the shooter "was motivated by a violent extremist ideology or had any association with additional plotters or co-conspirators."
Investigators found three suspected improvised explosive devices after the shooting, including two in the shooter's vehicle parked near the rally site, the bulletin reads.
Both agencies advised law enforcement about the potential for retaliatory acts of violence following Saturday's shooting given the online threats of violence after the attempt on Trump's life.
"Some individuals' reactions to politically and socially divisive topics have prompted violence ... and some individuals - including some (Domestic Violent Extremists) - potentially will view political and social tensions as an opportunity to use or promote violence to further their ideological goals," the bulletin reads.
BY JOE RUIZ
8:23 AM / JULY 16, 2024
Source: Bomb-making material found in shooter's home, vehicle
A law enforcement source confirmed that authorities found rudimentary bomb-making material at the gunman's residence and in his vehicle. The FBI is analyzing the devices at Quantico.
BY PAT MILTON
8:19 AM / JULY 16, 2024
Trump says assassination attempt had "impact"
The attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump had "an impact," he told ABC News on Monday.
Trump was asked by ABC News' Jonathan Karl if the attempt on his life had changed him.
"I don't like to think about that, but, yes, I think has an impact," he said, adding that he hoped the bandage on his ear would be removed by the time he speaks on Thursday to the Republican National Convention.
BY JOE RUIZ
Trump Rally Shooting
Eric Trump calls security failures that led to rally shooting "infuriating"
House panel to subpoena Secret Service director about Trump assassination attempt
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Biden, DNC resume campaigning after Trump assassination attempt
The Secret Team, L. Fletcher Prouty's CIA exposé, was first published in the 1970s, but virtually all copies of the book disappeared upon distribution, purchased en masse by shady "private buyers." Certainly Prouty's amazing allegationsthat the U-2 Crisis of 1960 was fixed to sabotage Eisenhower-Khrushchev talks, and that President Kennedy was assassinated to keep the U.S., and its defense budget, in Vietnamcannot have pleased the CIA. Though suppressed (until now), The Secret Team was an important influence for Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning film JFK and countless other works on U.S. government conspiracies, and it raises the same crucial question today that it did on its first appearance: who, in
L Fletcher Prouty
About the author
L. Fletcher Prouty (1917–2001), a retired colonel of the U.S. Air Force, served as the chief of special operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Kennedy years. He was directly in charge of the global system designed to provide military support for the clandestine activities of the CIA. He was the author of JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy and The Secret Team: The CIA and Its Allies.
This article is more than 23 years old
US officer obsessed by the conspiracy theory of President Kennedy's assassination
It is appropriate that Fletcher Prouty, who has died of organ failure following stomach surgery at the age of 84, will best be remembered as the model for the mysterious Colonel X, played by Donald Sutherland, in Oliver Stone's film JFK.
Prouty, who believed the assassination of President John F Kennedy was a coup d'état perpetrated by elements of the United States military and intelligence communities, was a career military man who spent a decade liaising between the Pentagon and the CIA. After leaving the US Air Force (USAF), he became an outspoken critic of the intelligence establishment, although by the time JFK was filmed, he had been relegated to the fringes along with countless other conspiracy crackpots.
When asked why he did not use Prouty's name in the film, Stone said: "Because the man does not want to be known, he doesn't want to be traced." Yet his identity was common knowledge. It seemed that the shadowy image of the figure Sutherland portrayed, instructing the naive New Orleans attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner), was one Prouty was proud to fit.
As a young man in Massachusetts, his early ambition to become a singer was interrupted by the second world war. He served, first, as an army tank commander, and then as a transport pilot. His CV shows him providing VIP transport for the key allied conferences in Cairo and Tehran, as well as evacuating a Guns of Navarone-style commando team from Turkey. He claimed to have flown in the first overt cold-war mission, rescuing Nazi intelligence officers from the Balkans at the bequest of the Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA, in 1944.
In 1955, Prouty was assigned to coordinate operations between the USAF and the CIA, and remained in intelligence duties until retiring in 1964 to join an aircraft company. He later worked in banking and public relations, while writing on intelligence topics and the assassination of Kennedy.
His 1973 book, The Secret Team, was reviewed seriously. In it, Prouty called the CIA, and the cold war, a cover story, which had allowed elements of the military and intelligence community to work on behalf of the interests of a "high cabal" of industrialists and bankers. It found a ready audience in the atmosphere of Watergate and the Pentagon Papers, and, in the light of Iran-Contra and CIA drug-running controversies, many of its revelations have been confirmed.
A mass-market paperback was published by Ballantine in 1974, but the book immediately became hard to find. Prouty believed it was "disappeared"; at any rate, copies remain collectors' items.
Kennedy assassination, characterising the events in Dallas as a way of thwarting the US president's plans to take control of the CIA after the Bay of Pigs fiasco.
General Edward Lansdale was in charge of Operation Mongoose, aimed at overthrowing Fidel Castro. As General Y in the JFK film, he assigns Prouty to a South Pole trip, to remove him from the Pentagon at the time of the assassination. Prouty later claimed that Lansdale was in Dallas - and visible as a passer-by in the famous "tramps" photograph - on the day Kennedy was killed. "He was there like the orchestra leader, coordinating these things," he said.
In 1986, Prouty's book-length manuscript, The Role Of Intelligence In The Cold War, appeared as a series in a magazine called Freedom, published by the church of Scientology. Like other assassination critics, he found an outlet via the Liberty Lobby, a far-right organisation with ties to Holocaust deniers.
Although Prouty himself never espoused such beliefs, the connection enabled critics to dismiss his later writings. He helped them by publishing articles that made easy targets, such as his revelation that, according to President Franklin Roosevelt's son, Kermit, himself an OSS/CIA man, Stalin believed "the Churchill cabal" had poisoned Roosevelt, and his widow, Eleanor, had kept his coffin closed to stop anyone finding out.
Following the release of JFK, Prouty's book, JFK, The CIA, Vietnam, And The Plot To Assassinate John F Kennedy, was published by the small, independent Birch Lane Press. He remained active, via his own website, until his death, and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and three children.
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Retired Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent Jim Cavanaugh said he was surprised the gunman was able to occupy a raised position within rifle range of the rally site.
Mr Cavanaugh said: "Whenever I've been with them, every single high ground is taken by them or the local SWAT police. There's nobody allowed walking on rooftops. They command the high ground."
He said a high-powered rifle like an AR-15 can hit targets 600ft (182m) away and Mr Trump was about 444ft (135m) from the rooftop where the gunman was found dead, NBC News said, based on an analysis of Google Earth images.
Mr Cavanaugh said: "Having been on Secret Service details, it's amazing to me that somebody was on an elevated position that they didn't know about."
But Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens defended those in charge of security, calling it "incredibly difficult to have a venue open to the public and to secure that against any possible threat against a very determined attacker. That's a huge lift".
The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its role, NBC said.
But a spokesman for the service has denied online reports that it refused requests from the Trump campaign for greater security.
Spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on the X social media platform on Sunday: "There's an untrue assertion that a member of the former president's team requested additional security resources and that those were rebuffed.
"This is absolutely false. In fact, we added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel tempo".
FBI special agent Kevin Rojek told reporters law enforcement was not aware there was a man on the rooftop until he started firing, and said it was "surprising" how many shots the gunman managed to fire.
Trump supporters in the front row of the rally heard a series of pops and saw Secret Service agents jump on the stage as Mr Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate in November's presidential election, ducked.
Mr Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site a couple of hours later that a bullet "pierced the upper part of my right ear.
"I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening."
Former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras, who has protected multiple presidents, including Barack Obama and George W Bush, said it is impossible to eliminate every potential threat at a rally.
Donald Trump arrives for Republican National Convention
Donald Trump arrives for Republican National Convention
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Trump shooting: the security failures that let gunman mount assassination attempt | BBC News -
Trump shooting: the security failures that let gunman mount assassination attempt | BBC News
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania exposed a series of security lapses that allowed the gunman to mount his assassination attempt. The gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to access a roof around 130 meters from the podium where Mr Trump was speaking. It’s the job of the US Secret Service to protect sitting and former presidents. Somehow the gunman managed to breach the security perimeter with a rifle and reach an elevated position close to Mr Trump.
Video of the attack and the accounts of eyewitnesses suggest that members of the crowd became aware of the threat before the police and other security officials and attempted to alert them to the danger It was only when the gunman opened fire that officials recognised the danger and responded, with Thomas Crooks shot dead by armed officers. Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Gary O’Donoghue, Tom Bateman and Sarah Smith.
New details on shooter behind Trump attempted assassination
New details on shooter behind Trump attempted assassination
Officials are learning more about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter in the assassination attempt on former President Trump. Officials said Crooks had no criminal record or military experience. In addition to a semi-automatic weapon on the scene, authorities found suspicious containers in his car. NBC News’ Shaquille Brewster reports.
Trump Shooting Videos
Timeline of Trump rally shooting shows witnesses alerted officers 2 minutes before gunfire - CBS News
Timeline of Trump rally shooting shows witnesses alerted officers 2 minutes before gunfire
By Maurice DuBois, S. Dev, Erielle Delzer, Joanne Stocker, Rhona Tarrant
July 15, 2024 CBS News
Despite the 90-degree heat, thousands descended on Pennsylvania's Butler Farm Show, which is a roughly 100-acre fairground used for agricultural exhibitions. They were excited to see former President Donald Trump, who had spoken at the site before.
Butler County voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020, so the crowd was expected to be as friendly as you'd find in the country.
But things took a sudden, deadly turn, minutes after the former president and presumptive Republican nominee began speaking.
Donald Trump took the stage at 6:03 p.m. local time and began speaking to the crowd.
6:09 p.m.: People alert officers to the gunman
People alerted law enforcement to the gunman on the roof of a building about 410 feet away from the stage, at least two minutes before the first shot was fired at Trump, video analyzed by CBS News shows.
The video provides insight into the chaotic minutes leading up to the attempted assassination of the former president and raises questions about the preparedness of law enforcement regarding the building.
"Look, they're all pointing. Someone's on top of the roof," a person says as at least one law enforcement officer walks around the building. "There he is, right there. Right there, see him? He's laying down."
Another person appears to gesture to the officer, "He's on the roof … right here, right on the roof."
As one witness later described it, "We noticed a guy crawling, you know, bear-crawling up the roof of the building beside us, 50 feet away from us. ... So we're standing there, you know, we're pointing at the guy crawling up the roof." The witness added, "He had a rifle — we could clearly see him with a rifle."
This image shows the location of the shooting site, about 400 feet from the stage, at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.GOOGLE EARTH/CBS NEWS
Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe said that shortly before the shooting, an armed officer tried to reach the gunman but had to fall back.
"All I know is the officer had both hands up on the roof to get up onto the roof," Slupe told CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA, but the officer never made it "because the shooter had turned towards the officer."
"And rightfully and smartfully, the officer let go," Slupe said. After that, the shooter turned his rifle back toward the rally, Slupe said.
6:11:21 - 6:11:32 p.m.: An officer walks around the building; people spot the shooter and start to flee
More videos show the chaotic moments before the shooting. Exactly 12 seconds before the first shot was fired, video shows an officer walking around the building.
Another video, which begins at 6:11:28 p.m. — five seconds before the first shot is fired — shows people yelling that the man on the roof has a gun. It shows people running to flee the gunman.
In yet another video, people are seen spotting the shooter at 6:11:29 p.m., exactly four seconds before he opens fire. It shows people yelling that the shooter is "right here."
Video also shows the Secret Service snipers behind Trump pointing their rifles in the direction of the shooter. One sniper appears to spot something about one second before the first shot rings out.
6:11:33 p.m.: First shot fired
As Trump was talking about immigration, the first shot from the would-be assassin was fired.
6:11:34 p.m.: Two more shots fired
The second and third shots from the sniper came one second later. All three shots came from Trump's right.
6:11:37 p.m.: More gunshots heard
Three seconds later, several rapid gunshots are heard. At least three more shots were fired, followed by what sounded like an outgoing shot, as the crowd erupted into screams.
Video recorded by a member of the audience shows Secret Service snipers appearing to aim in the direction of the gunman. A final shot is heard 15 seconds later.
The Secret Service sniper who neutralized the gunman fired one round and was assisted by a spotter, according to two federal law enforcement officials with knowledge of the response to the shooting. It was not immediately clear which of the shots heard in the video was the one that took out the gunman.
Secret Service agents surrounded Trump, who was grazed in the ear, as blood ran down his face. It took a minute and a half to get the former president off the stage.
Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face, surrounded by Secret Service agents, as he is taken off the stage after a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024.
As Secret Service agents tried to hustle him into his waiting SUV, Trump defiantly raised his fist several times and seemed to say, "Fight."
Some people in the crowd turned their attention to three others who'd been shot. The victims included 50-year-old Corey Comperatore — a firefighter, father and big fan of Donald Trump. He was shot in the head and killed.
"I asked Corey's wife if it would be OK for me to share that we spoke," Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference the next day. "She said yes. She also asked that I share with all of you that Corey died a hero, that Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally. Corey was the very best of us. May his memory be a blessing."
Two other people — David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74 — were critically wounded. CBS News has learned one of the victims is in a medically-induced coma.
Trump was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
8:13 p.m.: President Biden speaks out against violence
President Biden made a statement in Delaware, where he had been spending the weekend.
"There's no place in America for this kind of violence," Mr. Biden said. "It's sick. It's sick. It's one of the reasons we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this."
Afterward, Mr. Biden returned to the White House, where he was briefed on the assassination attempt.
8:42 p.m.: Trump posts he's been shot in his ear
Trump wrote on Truth Social: "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place."
A short time later, he left the hospital, headed to the airport and flew to New Jersey.
1:20 a.m. Sunday: FBI identifies the gunman
Early Sunday morning, the FBI identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was 20 years old and lived in Bethel, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles from the rally site. He graduated with an associate's degree in engineering science from a community college and worked at a nursing and rehabilitation center.
So far, investigators say his motive is not known. They say he appears to have acted alone, and they have not found any clear indication of his intentions or threats in his social media accounts.
Investigators throughout the night and morning searched the suspect's home and car. They said they found suspicious devices in his home and vehicle that were rendered safe by bomb technicians.
A former classmate at Bethel Park High School told CBS News that Crooks tried out for the high school's rifle team but failed to make it. Jameson Myers described him as "a normal boy" and a "nice kid who never talked poorly of anyone," and added, "I never have thought him capable of anything I've seen him do in the last few days."
7:36 a.m.: Trump thanks people for their prayers
Sunday morning, Trump posted a message on Truth Social thanking people for their thoughts and prayers, saying "it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening."
"We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness," Trump wrote, saying he was praying for the recovery of the people who were killed and wounded in the shooting.
"In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win," Trump wrote.
10:21 a.m.: Melania Trump calls the shooter "a monster"
"America, the fabric of our gentle nation is tattered, but our courage and common sense must ascend and bring us back together as one," the former first lady said.
She said that when she watched the "violent bullet" strike her husband, she realized that her life and that of the couple's son Barron was "on the brink of devastating change."
"A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music and inspiration," Melania wrote.
2:09 p.m.: Trump says he's going to Milwaukee
Trump confirmed on Truth Social that he was flying to Wisconsin as planned to attend the Republican National Convention, which kicks off Monday.
"Based on yesterday's terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a "shooter," or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else," Trump wrote.
"Therefore, I will be leaving for Milwaukee, as scheduled, at 3:30 P.M. TODAY," he added.
"We can't allow this violence to be normalized," Mr. Biden said. "The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It's time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do that."
He added that "politics must never be a literal battlefield, God forbid, a killing field."
The president cited a number of violent political acts in recent years, including the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, a foiled plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the attack on the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the intimidation of election officials.
"In America, we resolve our differences" at the ballot box, Mr. Biden said, "not with bullets."
The FBI says it has received more than 2,600 tips so far. Investigators are now working on that timeline in reverse, from the shooting and all the moments leading up to it, as they dissect the would-be assassin's life in the days and months prior to July 13.
On Monday afternoon, the Republican Party officially nominated Trump to be its 2024 presidential nominee, marking the third time since 2016 that Trump has been nominated. He will formally accept the nomination in a speech at the Republican National Convention Thursday night.
"The following candidate received the following votes: 2,387 votes for President Donald J. Trump. Let's make it official," House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said, announcing that Trump "has been selected as the Republican Party nominee for president of the United States."
In an interview on his way to Milwaukee for the convention Sunday night, Trump told the New York Post he was "supposed to be dead," describing the assassination attempt as "surreal." He said would have been killed if he hadn't tilted his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants while addressing the rally.
"By luck or by God, many people are saying it's by God I'm still here," he said.
Trump Rally Shooting
Live Updates: Trump rally shooting investigation continues as details emerge
Eric Trump calls security failures that led to rally shooting "infuriating"
House panel to subpoena Secret Service director about Trump assassination attempt
Sniper took picture of Trump rally shooter before attack, source says
Leroy Fletcher Prouty (January 24, 1917 – June 5, 2001)[1] served as Chief of Special Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President John F. Kennedy. A colonel in the United States Air Force, he retired from military service to become a bank executive. He subsequently became a critic of U.S. foreign policy, particularly the covert activities of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which he believed was working on behalf of a secret world elite.
Prouty's commentary on the Kennedy assassination circulated widely from the 1970s to 1990s, as a key source for conspiracy theories about it. He was the inspiration for the character "Mr. X" in Oliver Stone's film JFK
FBI & Secret Service Pressor for The Trump Rally Shooting: Assassination Attempt Investigation
FBI & Secret Service Pressor for The Trump Rally Shooting: Assassination Attempt Investigation
Former Secret Service Agent speaks on deadly shooting at Trump rally
Former Secret Service Agent speaks on deadly shooting at Trump rally
Federal investigators trying to learn more about Trump rally shooter
Federal investigators trying to learn more about Trump rally shooter
Moment the Secret Service took down gunman in Trump shooting
Moment the Secret Service took down gunman in Trump shooting
Secret Service snipers made a split-second decision to take down the gunman after he opened fire on the former president. ABC News' Martha Raddatz shows us how it unfolded in real-time.
Donald Trump Shooting Videos
Special Report: The Trump assassination attempt | ABC news
Special Report:
The Trump assassination attempt | ABC news
Moment gunman opens fires at Donald Trump rally caught on video | BBC News
Attacker at Donald Trump’s rally killed by US Secret Service sniper | BBC News
Trump rally shooter's motive still unclear as Biden urges calm
In an address from the Oval Office on Sunday night, President Biden said the shooter's motivations were still unclear, and urged Americans to reject politically motivated violence.
"There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence, ever. Period. No exceptions. We can't allow this violence to become normalized," Mr. Biden said. "The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It's time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do that."
More details emerged Sunday about the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who was killed after he opened fire. Rudimentary bomb-making material was found at the gunman's home and in his vehicle. He was a member of a local gun club, and a former classmate said that he had tried out for the high school rifle team but didn't make it.
The FBI is investigating whether the shooter was a politically motivated homegrown domestic violent extremist, and investigators are still combing through his background. Justice Department officials told reporters that investigators have the shooter's phone and were examining it at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.
Law enforcement sources said bystanders spotted the shooter with a rifle on a roof about 400 feet from where Trump was speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania, and reported his presence to authorities. The sheriff of Butler County said a local police officer was hoisted by another officer to look onto the roof. The shooter pointed his rifle toward the officer, who let go and fell off.
The shooter then turned toward the rally and fired six to eight rounds using an AR-style weapon. A Secret Service sniper soon shot and killed him. Trump was quickly whisked from the stage by armed agents, blood running down the side of his face.
Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday morning, saying it "was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening."
Mr. Biden has ordered an independent review of the security at the rally to assess what took place, and said he directed the Secret Service to examine security measures for this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump was formally named as the party's nominee Monday. Trump landed in the city Sunday evening.
Trump and Mr. Biden spoke Saturday night in what a White House official characterized as a "good, short and respectful" call.
11:43 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Sniper who took out gunman fired one round
The Secret Service sniper who neutralized the gunman fired one round and was assisted by a spotter, according to two federal law enforcement officials with knowledge of the response to the shooting.
The sniper who took out the gunman was located on the roof behind and to Trump's to his left — the square farthest to the right in the below map.
This image shows the location of the shooting site, about 400 feet from the stage, at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.GOOGLE EARTH/CBS NEWS
BY NICOLE SGANGA
9:21 PM / JULY 15, 2024
FBI continues looking into Trump shooter's background
The man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun store in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, before arriving at the rally site, according to a law enforcement bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI obtained by CBS News.
The FBI is investigating whether the shooter "was motivated by a violent extremist ideology or had any association with additional plotters or co-conspirators."
Investigators found three suspected improvised explosive devices after the shooting, including two in the shooter's vehicle parked near the rally site, the bulletin reads.
Both agencies advised law enforcement about the potential for retaliatory acts of violence following Saturday's shooting given the online threats of violence after the attempt on Trump's life.
"Some individuals' reactions to politically and socially divisive topics have prompted violence ... and some individuals — including some (Domestic Violent Extremists) — potentially will view political and social tensions as an opportunity to use or promote violence to further their ideological goals," the bulletin reads.
BY JOE RUIZ
UPDATED 9:40 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Three snipers were stationed inside building used in Trump assassination attempt
There were three snipers stationed inside the building the shooter used during Saturday's shooting of former President Donald Trump, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the incident tells CBS News.
The operations plan had them stationed inside the building looking out windows toward the Trump rally. The information about the three snipers being inside the building was first reported by BeaverCountian.com.
One of the snipers inside saw Thomas Matthew Crooks outside and looking up at the roof, observing the building and disappearing, a local law enforcement officer tells CBS News.
Crooks came back, sat down and looked at his phone. At that point, one of the snipers took a picture of him. Crooks took out a rangefinder and the sniper radioed to the command post. Crooks disappeared again and then came back a third time with a backpack. The snipers called in with information that he had a backpack and said he was walking towards the back of the building.
Officers believe that Crooks might have used an air conditioning unit to get on top of the roof.
By the time other officers came for backup, he had climbed on top of the building and was positioned above and behind the snipers inside the building, the officer said.
Two other officers who heard the sniper's call tried to get onto the roof. State police started rushing to the scene, but by that time, a Secret Service sniper had already killed Crooks, the officer said.
–CBS News' Anna Schecter
BY JOE RUIZ
7:51 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Former Secret Service agent reacts to security breach during assassination attempt
As former President Donald Trump continues to recover from the injury sustained during Saturday's attempt on his life, the questions of culpability remain.
Ron Layton, a former Secret Service agent, tells CBS Pittsburgh that he and others in law enforcement are "furious" with the lack of protection that led to the shooting.
"People who worked in the Secret Service and people in the active service are furious," Layton said. "We are angry. I am angry."
A 20-year-old gunman on a rooftop approximately 400 feet away fired on and injured Trump, killing one bystander and critically wounding two others.
"He shouldn't have access to the roof," Layton said. "That's the job, that's why you staff that building. So, that should have never happened."
Michael Slupe, the sheriff of Butler County, told CBS Pittsburgh that there was a pre-planning meeting with local law enforcement and the Secret Service, but that he couldn't remember if the building the shooter used was brought up.
"I don't remember that as part of the conversation," Slupe said. "It wasn't part of our pre-plan. And obviously, I can't comment because that would be levels higher than the sheriff to answer that question."
The attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump had "an impact," he told ABC News on Monday.
Trump was asked by ABC News' Jonathan Karl if the attempt on his life had changed him.
"I don't like to think about that, but, yes, I think has an impact," he said, adding that he hoped the bandage on his ear would be removed by the time he speaks on Thursday to the Republican National Convention.
BY JOE RUIZ
6:24 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Hospital staff where Trump was treated praised for response effort
Three hours passed from when the staff at Butler Memorial Hospital were notified that former President Donald Trump had been injured during an assassination attempt and the Secret Service cleared out following his treatment. Hospital officials told CBS Pittsburgh their contingency plans worked as they should.
"It's in the back of everybody's mind who this person is. But they do what they do best, and that's to focus on the patient right in front of them," said Dave Rottinghaus, a Butler Memorial Hospital emergency doctor.
Shooter visited gun range before assassination attempt, 2 law enforcement officials say
Two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation said the shooter visited a gun range in the days before Saturday's assassination attempt.
-Andres Triay and Anna Schecter
6:05 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Sheriff says building used by shooter "wasn't our responsibility"
A Pennsylvania sheriff said his agency wasn't responsible for protecting or securing the building that the shooter used to attack Saturday's rally.
CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA-TV reporter Andy Sheehan asked Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe if there was enough communication from the Secret Service about securing the building.
"I can't speak to that because, you know, as far as the building goes, I don't know because it wasn't our responsibility, but they did have a very good briefing," Slupe told KDKA-TV. "And, like I said earlier, somewhere along the line, you have a briefing and you identify, adapt and overcome. And there are a lot of well-trained police officers that totally have the ability to do that."
Asked if there was a plan to secure the building, Slupe said, "I have no idea about that. I have no idea. I don't."
Slupe also said his agency wasn't asked to sweep the building.
"No, the sheriff's office was not asked to do that, and I don't know whose responsibility that would have been if that was in their plan," he said.
BY ALEX SUNDBY
5:11 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Shooter's father called police after assassination attempt
The shooter's father called local police after the shooting took place, according to three law enforcement officials. CBS News does not have details about the nature of the call or the exact timing of the call. The family is cooperating with federal investigators, according to the FBI.
-Pat Milton, Rob Legare and Adam Yamaguchi
5:04 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Shooter's rifle was bought in 2013, sources say
The AR-style rifle used in Saturday's shooting at former President Donald Trump's rally was purchased legally in 2013, two sources confirmed to CBS News.
-Andres Triay and Robert Legare
4:02 PM / JULY 15, 2024
FBI gains access to shooter's phone
Federal investigators gained access to the shooter's phone, the FBI said Monday.
Two law enforcement sources told CBS News the phone has thus far not yielded any information about his beliefs or a potential motive.
-Andres Triay and Adam Yamaguchi
3:47 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Trump's VP pick to receive Secret Service protection
While Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was briefing reporters at the White House on Monday, former President Donald Trump announced Ohio Sen. JD Vance would be his running mate. Mayorkas was asked what kind of security Vance would be receiving.
"The United States Secret Service, when a selection is made, will provide the appropriate level of security," Mayorkas told reporters.
BY ALEX SUNDBY
3:26 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Secret Service protection to be given to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
President Biden directed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to provide independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with Secret Service protection, Mayorkas announced Monday afternoon during a White House press briefing.
BY ALEX SUNDBY
3:00 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Shooter's weapon was bought well before attack, source says
The gun used in the attack against former President Donald Trump was not newly purchased, according to a source familiar with the matter. The weapon was legally purchased by the shooter's father well before Saturday's attack.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in a statement Sunday it traced the weapon "based on out of business records from a closed gun dealer."
BY ROBERT LEGARE
2:51 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Secret Service director to appear before House Oversight panel next week
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is slated to testify before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee next Monday about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the committee announced.
Lawmakers will gather information from Cheatle about the shooting at Trump's rally, which shocked the nation and raised questions as to how the shooter was able to gain access to a rooftop so close to where the former president was addressing the crowd of supporters.
"The United States Secret Service has a no-fail mission, yet it failed on Saturday when a madman attempted to assassinate President Trump, killed an innocent victim, and harmed others," committee Chairman James Comer said in a statement. "We are grateful to the brave Secret Service agents who acted quickly to protect President Trump after shots were fired and the American patriots who sought to help victims, but questions remain about how a rooftop within proximity to President Trump was left unsecure."
Comer, a Kentucky Republican, indicated that Cheatle will face questions about security lapses at the rally and how to prevent another attack from happening again.
BY MELISSA QUINN
1:47 PM / JULY 15, 2024
Investigators return to shooter's home
Investigators returned Monday to the shooter's home in Bethel Park, about a 25-minute drive south of Pittsburgh.
At around 10 a.m., a few SUVs rolled up to the street that the shooter lived on. About four men got out of the SUVs. One was wearing a patch that said Pittsburgh Federal Bureau of Investigation, with SWAT also in the middle of the embroidered patch.
They split up in pairs and were knocking on doors, in a lot of cases to no avail. One pair was let into the shooter's home and left after a few minutes.
The 20-year-old gunman who opened fire at former President Donald Trump's rally once appeared in an advertisement for investment firm BlackRock, the company said Monday.
The ad, which was produced in 2022, was filmed at Bethel Park High School, where the shooter was a student at the time. BlackRock filmed the spot, part of a series for teachers managing their retirement assets, in a classroom led by a real teacher and which featured real students. The shooter was one of those students, BlackRock told CBS MoneyWatch.
Shooter bought ammo on day of assassination attempt, source says
The shooter purchased a box of ammunition with 50 rounds on the day of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, a law enforcement source confirmed.
The shooter used an AR-style rifle in the shooting that authorities say was legally owned by his father, Matthew Crooks.
BY PAT MILTON
11:20 AM / JULY 15, 2024
Trump expected to announce VP pick today as RNC gets underway
Former President Donald Trump is expected to announce his pick for a vice presidential running mate ahead of the Republican National Convention's formal vote to nominate the ticket on Monday evening, according to sources familiar with the plans.
Trump Media stock price surges after failed assassination attempt
Trump Media & Technology Group's stock price soared 32% Monday.
The company, which owns the Truth Social platform, jumped $9.98 to $40.87 in morning trading. The jump reverses a six-week slump in Trump Media shares, which have exhibited volatile trading patterns since going public in March.
Trump Media — whose ticker symbol, "DJT," is the same as the former president's initials — is viewed by some as a so-called meme stock because its wild swings are influenced largely by social media enthusiasm rather than the business fundamentals that investors typically look for, such as profit and revenue growth.
Secret Service director says agency will "participate fully" in independent review
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle pledged in a statement Monday that the agency will "participate fully" in the independent review of security at former President Donald Trump's rally that President Biden announced Sunday. Cheatle also said the agency will work with the appropriate congressional committees conducting oversight of the security plans before the rally.
"The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy," she said. "It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission."
Cheatle said the Secret Service has made changes to Trump's security detail following the assassination attempt to ensure his continued protection for this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and the rest of the presidential campaign.
The Secret Service provided Trump's detail with additional security enhancements in June, she said.
Cheatle, who took the helm of the Secret Service in September 2022, said the agency is working with federal, state and local agencies to learn more about what happened at the rally, how it occurred and how it can be prevented from happening again.
With the Republican convention kicking off, the Secret Service chief said she is "confident" in the security plan put in place for the week, which Cheatle said was reviewed and strengthened following the shooting.
Cheatle also praised the Secret Service agents who were on the ground at the rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and offered condolences to the family and friends of Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the rally.
"Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agencies implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former President Donald Trump," she said.
BY MELISSA QUINN
9:23 AM / JULY 15, 2024
Jill Biden and Melania Trump speak following assassination attempt
First lady Jill Biden and former first lady Melania Trump spoke by phone Sunday afternoon, a White House official confirmed to CBS News.
BY WEIJIA JIANG
9:08 AM / JULY 15, 2024
King Charles writes letter to Trump after assassination attempt
King Charles III wrote a private letter to former President Donald Trump after he was injured in an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally over the weekend, Buckingham Palace confirmed on Monday.
In a statement, the king's press secretary said the private letter was delivered via the United Kingdom's embassy in Washington.
"We do not divulge contents of such private correspondence, but safe to surmise that the sentiments are in keeping with those communicated by the [prime minister]," the statement said.
New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on social media that he was "appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump's rally and we send him and his family our best wishes. Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack."
Starmer also had a call with Trump on Sunday.
BY LUCIA SUAREZ SANG
5:37 AM / JULY 15, 2024
Residents allowed to return to homes in Trump shooter's neighborhood
The FBI has, at least for now, left the scene on Milford Drive. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the FBI "has searched the shooter's home and vehicle to collect additional evidence."
Lights remained on, and two SUVs were parked at the one-story home where the shooter, Thomas Crooks, and his parents lived, according to CBS News Pittsburgh's Ricky Sayer:
BREAKING: This is our first look at the home of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who police say attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump yesterday.
Police just scaled back their large perimeter. Bethel Park officers say investigators are no longer in the home. @KDKApic.twitter.com/tPmqlPAhj9
Trump on attempt on his life: "I'm supposed to be dead"
Former President Donald Trump told the New York Post on Sunday he was "supposed to be dead" after an assassination attempt he described as "surreal."
"I'm not supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be dead," Trump told the Post in an interview aboard his plane en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he is set to be confirmed as the party's presidential candidate.
Trump told the newspaper he would have been killed if he hadn't tilted his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants while addressing the rally. "By luck or by God, many people are saying it's by God I'm still here," he said. He praised the Secret Service agents for killing the shooter. "They took him out with one shot right between the eyes," he said.
Trump said the attempt on his life made him decide to rewrite the speech he'd prepared for the convention.
He said the original one was "extremely tough," about President Biden's "horrible administration. But I threw it away" for one said he hopes will "unite our country."
"But I don't know if that's possible," he added. "People are very divided."
–CBS/AFP
11:31 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Timeline of attempted assassination of former President Trump
Thousands of people arrived at Pennsylvania's Butler Farm Show, a roughly 100-acre fairground used for agricultural exhibitions, on Saturday to see former President Donald Trump speak at a campaign rally.
Butler County voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020, so the crowd was expected to be friendly, but things took a sudden, deadly turn a little after 6 p.m. local time, minutes after the former president and presumptive Republican nominee began speaking.
Click here for a detailed timeline of the attempted assassination of Trump on Saturday, July 13.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy shares details of conversation with Trump
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said former President Trump remains "upbeat" after a gunman fired at him during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Trump was grazed in the ear but survived the assassination attempt. Three other people were shot, one of whom died.
A man who took video of the gunman who shot at former President Trump on Saturday spoke with CBS News and described his efforts to get law enforcement's attention.
10:00 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Biden campaign responds to GOP officials blaming president's rhetoric for assassination attempt
The Biden campaign on Sunday night responded to Republican officials who have said or implied President Biden's rhetoric was responsible for the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
"In a moment when Americans should come together and unite to condemn this horrifying attack, anyone — especially elected officials with national platforms — politicizing this tragedy, spreading disinformation, and seeking to further divide Americans isn't just unacceptable — it's an abdication of leadership," a campaign official told CBS News.
The Biden campaign halted its ads and other communications in the wake of the shooting Saturday night.
Mr. Biden is expected to use an upcoming interview with NBC's Lester Holt to reiterate the need to end political violence and condemn the attack on Trump.
The campaign is expected to pick back up following that interview, although it's not clear when Mr. Biden's campaign would resume TV ads. Sources told CBS News the campaign understands it must be responsible in how it goes about criticizing Trump moving forward, but it is clear-eyed that there are less than four months before the election.
BY WEIJIA JIANG
9:42 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Butler County district attorney defends local law enforcement
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CBS Pittsburgh that while local law enforcement provided assistance at former President Trump's rally on Saturday, "the security would have been under the purview of the Secret Service."
"We provided some snipers for them, some quick response teams, but we didn't have any responsibility with securing the perimeter or anything outside of that venue," Goldinger told CBS Pittsburgh's Jennifer Borrasso. "And the hierarchy of command for the security would have been the Secret Service, followed by the state police and then the local municipal departments."
BY JORDAN FREIMAN
9:11 PM / JULY 14, 2024
FBI notes rise in threats of violence, conspiracy theories in aftermath of Trump rally shooting
In a call with state and local law enforcement partners earlier Sunday, the FBI noted a rise in conspiracy theories and calls for civil war online in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
Paul Abbate, deputy director of the FBI, told reporters that "although the rhetoric regarding threats of violence was already increased online, we're seeing that tick up in the aftermath of this event."
Republican Representative Cory Mills, of Florida, who is in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he will serve as a delegate voting for former President Trump to be the party's official nominee, called the attempted assassination "abhorrent," and said "everyone should condemn" the shooting.
"I think there was a huge security breach and violation. I think that needs to be investigated," he added.
BY JORDAN FREIMAN
8:18 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Biden says political rhetoric has become too heated: "It's time to cool it down"
President Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office Sunday evening, calling for Americans to settle their differences at the ballot box, not by violence. He also called for unity in a time of great division.
"The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated," he said. "It's time to cool it down."
The president reiterated gratitude that Trump wasn't seriously injured, and expressed sorrow over the death of 50-year-old rally attendee Corey Comperatore.
"A former president was shot, an American citizen killed, while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing," the president said.
Mr. Biden urged Americans not to jump to conclusions as law enforcement continues to investigate. The 20-year-old shooter was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
"We do not know the motive of the shooter yet," the president said. "We don't know his opinions or affiliations. … Law enforcement professionals as I speak are investigating those questions."
Mr. Biden said the attempted assassination was the latest in a series of violent political acts, mentioning the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol and the foiled plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
"We can't allow this violence to be normalized," he said. "The power to change America should always be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of a would-be assassin."
The president encouraged Americans to recommit to unity, and place the country before politics.
"Nothing is more important for us right now than standing together," he said. "We can do this."
BY KATHRYN WATSON
8:40 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Former Secret Service deputy director sheds light on shooting
Former Secret Service Deputy Director A.T. Smith spoke with CBS News about the attempted assassination of former President Trump. Smith discusses how a gunman could have gotten such a clear view of the president and other pressing questions about the agency's actions on Saturday.
7:31 PM / JULY 14, 2024
ATF says it helped identify shooter using gun dealer records
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said its agents were on the scene of the shooting within minutes and helped identify the shooter.
The ATF's National Tracing Center traced the gun using records from a dealer that had gone out of business, an ATF spokesperson told CBS News. Results were provided to the FBI and Secret Service in less than 30 minutes and helped identify the shooter.
The spokesperson said the bureau is continuing to help with firearm evidence, including securing additional evidence and locations for the execution of warrants. The ATF is also assisting with the investigation into the suspected destructive devices found in the gunman's vehicle.
BY ROBERT LEGARE
7:30 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Trump describing assassination attempt to friends
Trump remains in good spirits and has described the assassination attempt to friends, according to two people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly.
He has detailed what it was like onstage to several family members, aides and friends, recounting how the bullet sounded and how he noticed blood on his hand after he touched his ear, these people said.
Trump has recalled his conversation with a doctor and medical professionals who treated him. He is reflecting to some about how close he came to a fatal injury.
He has told many people the convention must go on and is eager to appear before his supporters soon, the people said. He has not discussed his vice presidential selection with these sources, and people are mostly resisting bringing the matter up with him unless they're his top aides.
Trump has also described his phone call with President Biden as positive and brief, offering no further details to most associates.
BY ROBERT COSTA
6:58 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Trump lands in Milwaukee ahead of Republican convention
Trump's plane touched down in Milwaukee, where Republicans are gathering this week to formally nominate him for president.
Trump said earlier in the day that he had decided against delaying his arrival in the city, writing that he "cannot allow a 'shooter,' or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else."
BY FIN GÓMEZ
6:53 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Injured victims still in critical but stable condition, hospital says
The two victims who were injured in the shooting remain in critical but stable condition, according to a spokesperson for Allegheny General Hospital, who noted their status is "essentially the same as [it was] last night."
Earlier in the day, the Pennsylvania State Police identified the two injured victims as 57-year-old David Dutch of New Kensington and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township.
BY STEFAN BECKET
6:24 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Another former classmate of Crooks said he was "nerdy and shy" but friendly
A high school classmate of Thomas Matthew Crooks told CBS News he never personally saw Crooks bullied in school.
Mark Sigafoos, 19, took two classes and graduated with Crooks from Pennsylvania's Bethel Park High School in 2022.
"Shocked is an understatement," Sigafoos said, upon learning that Crooks was the shooter at the Trump rally.
Sigafoos said that while Crooks was "definitely nerdy for sure," he "never gave off that he was creepy or like a school shooter."
"He seemed like he wouldn't hurt a fly," Sigafoos said.
The shooter was smart, approachable and friendly, Sigafoos said, adding that they sat next to each other in an AP Economics class, where Crooks was frequently engaged and volunteering answers.
"It really makes me wonder what happened in the two years after graduating and maybe what outside influences there were," Sigafoos said.
BY JESSICA KEGU
6:02 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Armed officer encountered gunman on roof before shooting began, sheriff says
An armed municipal officer with Butler Township encountered the gunman before the shooting, Butler County Sheriff Michael Sloupe confirmed to CBS News.
The officer and others had been previously alerted to a suspicious person and began searching for him right away, Sloupe told CBS Pittsburgh reporter Jen Borrasso.
At some point, the officer was hoisted by another officer onto the roof of the building where the shooter was in position. The shooter focused his rifle towards the officer, who let go and fell off the roof. Then the shooter began firing into the crowd, according to Sloupe.
BY S. DEV
5:52 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Source: Bomb-making material found in shooter's home, vehicle
A law enforcement source confirmed that authorities found rudimentary bomb-making material at the gunman's residence and in his vehicle. The FBI is analyzing the devices at Quantico.
BY PAT MILTON
5:48 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Shooter had gun club membership
Crooks had a membership to a local gun club in Clairton, Pennsylvania.
"We can confirm that Mr. Crooks was a member of the Clairton Sportsmen's Club," Clairton Sportsmen's Club president Bill Sellitto said. "Beyond that, the club is unable to make any additional commentary in relation to this matter in light of pending law enforcement investigations. Obviously, the Club fully admonishes the senseless act of violence that occurred yesterday. The Club also offers its sincerest condolences to the Comperatore family and extends prayers to all of those injured, including the former president."
5:43 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Secret Service says there are no changes to plans to secure Republican National Convention
The Secret Service said Sunday that it has made no changes its security plan for the Republican National Convention, and is "confident in the security plans," in the wake of the Trump rally shooting.
At a news conference about the convention security, the Secret Service said there have not been any discussions about banning guns in the soft perimeter, the area immediately outside the hard perimeter of the convention. The inner perimeter is the area that requires credentials for entry.
The Milwaukee police chief, Jeffrey Norman, said that under state law, guns are allowed in the soft perimeter because "it's a state law — we can't change that," adding that law enforcement had to respect 2nd Amendment rights.
He said he did not anticipate any changes to the security perimeter.
After last night's assassination attempt against Trump, the Republican National Convention has put federal, state and local law enforcement officials on even higher alert heading into the convention.
The convention, where the GOP will come together to officially nominate Trump, is expected to continue as planned in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week.
BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL
4:50 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Pennsylvania State Police identify 3 victims shot at Trump rally
The Pennsylvania State Police has identified three victims who were shot during the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver, Pennsylvania, was identified earlier today as the man who was killed while attempting to shield his family from the gunfire.
The second victim, who was wounded in the shooting, has been identified as 57-year-old David Dutch of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. State police say he's in stable condition.
And James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, the third victim, is in stable condition.
Shooter's former classmate says he was a "normal boy," rejected from high school rifle team
The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was a "nice kid who never talked poorly of anyone," said former classmate Jameson Myers.
Myers was in the same class as Crooks at Bethel Park High School and was on the varsity rifle team. He said that Crooks tried out for the team as a freshman but did not make the junior varsity roster.
"I never have thought him capable of anything I've seen him do in the last few days," Myers said.
House speaker calls Secret Service director to testify about Trump rally shooting
Congress will conduct an investigation into the assassination attempt against Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Johnson plans to call Secret Service, FBI and Homeland Security officials to appear before lawmakers. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer posted a letter inviting Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle to testify at a hearing on July 22.
Questions are being raised about how shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to get so close to Trump. He climbed onto the roof of a shed about 400 feet from the podium and opened fire before he was killed by a Secret Service sniper.
A.T. Smith, a former Secret Service deputy director and CBS News national security contributor, told "Face the Nation" that sources said the agency had an "adequate amount of time" to prepare for the rally.
"The most glaring question to be asked is: how did this individual make it to the roof of that building with a long rifle, an AR-15-type rifle, apparently?" Smith said.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement that the agency had implemented protective measures for the rally. Personnel positioned around the stage where the former president was speaking rushed to surround Trump and sweep him off the stage to his motorcade after the shooting. In another statement Sunday, the Secret Service denied any suggestion that protective resources had been denied.
"The assertion that a member of the former President's security team requested additional security resources that the U.S. Secret Service or the Department of Homeland Security rebuffed is absolutely false," Guglielmi said. "In fact, recently the U.S. Secret Service added protective resources and capabilities to the former President's security detail."
BY ALIZA CHASAN
3:17 PM / JULY 14, 2024
GOP House campaign arm pauses digital fundraising efforts
The National Republican Congressional Committee, the GOP House campaign arm, has paused its digital fundraising efforts since the shooting, according to an NRCC spokesperson. It's not clear how long the freeze will remain in effect.
The Biden campaign said Saturday night that it has paused all outgoing communications. The campaign was also trying to take down ads already scheduled to air.
BY KATHRYN WATSON
2:43 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Trump says he won't delay trip to Wisconsin for convention after attack
Trump said he won't delay his trip to Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention after the attempt on his life Saturday, saying he will be leaving this afternoon as scheduled.
"Based on yesterday's terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a 'shooter,' or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else," Trump wrote in a social media post.
BY OLIVIA RINALDI
2:38 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Senate homeland security panel to investigate assassination attempt at Trump rally
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will conduct an investigation into the shooting, an aide to Chairman Gary Peters said.
The panel also requested a briefing for its members "as soon as possible," and Peters, a Michigan Democrat, will speak with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday. Committee staff will also receive a briefing from the Department of Homeland Security, the aide said.
There will likely be additional steps, including hearings, as senators learn more about what occurred at Trump's rally, according to Peters' aide.
BY NIKOLE KILLION
2:36 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Biden tells Americans not to "make assumptions" about shooter's motives
The president said the motives of the shooter aren't yet known, noting that the investigation is still in its early stages. The president told Americans not to "make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations" and to let the FBI and partner agencies do their job.
"I've instructed that this investigation be thorough and swift and the investigators will have every resource they need to get this done," he said.
BY KAIA HUBBARD
2:19 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Biden says there will be independent review of rally security
Mr. Biden said he directed the head of the U.S. Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, to examine security measures for this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and has called for an independent review of the security at the rally to assess what took place.
Mr. Biden said the results of that review will be shared with the public.
Biden "sincerely grateful" Trump's doing well, will address nation from Oval Office tonight
President Biden said in brief remarks at the White House that he was "sincerely grateful" that Trump is doing well, adding that he spoke with the former president on Saturday night. He characterized the call as a "short, good" conversation, and he also said he would address the nation from the Oval Office at 8 p.m. tonight.
Mr. Biden called for unity in the wake of the assassination attempt, and he denounced political violence.
"There's no place in America for this kind of violence, or any violence for that matter," the president said. "An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation. It's not who we are as a nation."
The president said that unity is the "most elusive goal of all" and added that "nothing is more important than that right now. Unity."
— Kaia Hubbard and Melissa Quinn
2:00 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Biden rescheduling Texas trip
The president is rescheduling his trip to Texas, which was planned for Monday, the White House said. Mr. Biden was scheduled to visit the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, to mark the 60th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson's signing of the Civil Rights Act.
BY KAIA HUBBARD
1:24 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Attorney General Merrick Garland to remain in DC to "closely monitor" investigation
Attorney General Merrick Garland, who continues to receive briefings on the attack on the former president, will stay in Washington, D.C., this week, Justice Department Director of Public Affairs Xochitl Hinojosa said in a statement.
The attorney general was slated to travel to Nevada, Idaho, Utah and Kansas this week for meetings with local law enforcement and to speak at the National Bar Association, according to the statement.
"He will no longer travel and will stay in Washington, D.C., to closely monitor the investigation," Hinojosa said.
BY ANDRES TRIAY
1:16 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Gun used in shooting was purchased legally, sources say
Two law enforcement sources say the gun was legally purchased by and registered to the shooter's father, Matthew Crooks. The shooter had an AR-style weapon.
The president spoke briefly Saturday night in Delaware after Trump, with blood visible on his face, was whisked off stage at a Pennsylvania rally when a gunman's bullet grazed his ear. The president, who has been updated regularly by top administration officials, received another briefing in the White House Situation Room on Sunday.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris receive a briefing in the Situation Room from top administration officials on July 14, 2024. THE WHITE HOUSE
The White House released a photo of the Situation Room briefing by top homeland security and law enforcement officials. It shows Vice President Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood Randall, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, White House counsel Ed Siskeland deputy Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe.
BY KAIA HUBBARD
1:01 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Shooting victim identified as Corey Comperatore
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he had spoken with the wife and daughters of the man who died in the shooting on Saturday, Corey Comperatore.
"We lost a fellow Pennsylvanian last night, Corey Comperatore," Shapiro said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon. "Corey was a 'girl dad,' Corey was a firefighter, Corey went to church every Sunday, Corey loved his community."
Shapiro said Corey "dove on his family to protect them," adding that he "died a hero."
"Corey was the very best of us," the governor said.
BY KAIA HUBBARD
12:37 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Suspicious devices found in gunman's vehicle
Suspicious devices, which could have been explosives or incendiary, were found in the gunman's vehicle, CBS News' investigative unit has learned. A device that appeared capable of triggering the devices was in the gunman's possession. Bomb technicians called to the scene were involved in securing and investigating the devices.
12:22 PM / JULY 14, 2024
Melania Trump calls shooter a "monster" who wanted to "ring out Donald's passion"
Melania Trump, the wife of former President Donald Trump, issued a statement on Sunday, calling the attempted assassination of her husband a "heinous act."
"America, the fabric of our gentle nation is tattered, but our courage and common sense must ascend and bring us back together as one," the former first lady said in a statement shared on social media.
She said that when she watched the "violent bullet" strike her husband, she realized that her life and that of the couple's son Barron was "on the brink of devasting change."
"A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion — his laughter, ingenuity, love of music and inspiration," Melania wrote, adding: "This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence."
The former first lady thanked everyone for their support, in particular the law enforcement officials who risked their lives to protect that of her husband.
Congressmen introducing bipartisan bill providing Trump, Biden and RFK Jr. with enhanced security
Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York are planning on introducing bipartisan legislation to provide Trump, Mr. Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with enhanced Secret Service protection, according to Torres's office.
"Last night's attempted assassination of former President Trump was a dark moment in our nation's history," the two congressmen said in a joint statement. "As reports continue to emerge, it's clear that more protection is needed for all major candidates for president. That's why we're planning on introducing bipartisan legislation providing President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, Jr., with enhanced Secret Service protection. Anything less would be a disservice to our democracy."
The RFK Jr. campaign has long been asking for Secret Service protection. His father, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated during the 1968 Democratic presidential primaries.
— Nidia Cavazos and Kathryn Watson
11:29 AM / JULY 14, 2024
Harris cancels Tuesday campaign event in Florida in light of shooting
Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to campaign on reproductive rights Tuesday in Palm Beach County, Trump's backyard.
But a Biden-Harris campaign official said the event has been canceled following Sunday's shooting. In the aftermath, Harris said she was "relieved" Trump wasn't seriously injured.
"Violence such as this has no place in our nation," she said in a statement. "We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence."
BY NIDIA CAVAZOS
11:15 AM / JULY 14, 2024
Shooter spotted outside security perimeter as people were arriving at rally, sources say
Two law enforcement sources told CBS News that the shooter was spotted outside the security perimeter as people were filing into the rally, and he was reported by a bystander to the Butler County Sheriff's Office. He was identified as a suspicious person by police, the sources said.
The sources said officials momentarily lost track of the gunman. Six minutes after Trump started talking, the shooter crawled up the side of the shed, and "popped up" on the roof, then immediately began shooting, the law enforcement sources said. He was lying flat on the shed — not walking or standing. There was very little time that passed between when he popped up and when shots rang out.
The gunman fired 6 to 8 rounds using a semi-automatic AR-style rifle from his position approximately 400 feet from the podium.
Secret Service counter sniper teams "had him" within seconds — the threat was neutralized almost immediately after shots were fired, the law enforcement sources said.
— Nicole Sganga and Pat Milton
UPDATED 10:57 AM / JULY 14, 2024
Gunman was armed with an AR-style rifle
According to multiple law enforcement officials, the shooter was armed with a semi-automatic AR-style rifle. ATF is tracing the weapon.
The gunman was on top of a shed outside the security perimeter set up by the Secret Service, and opened fire from about 400 feet away from the stage, law enforcement sources said.
This image shows the location of the shooting site, about 400 feet from the stage, at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.GOOGLE EARTH/CBS NEWS
Details emerge about the shooter, including yearbook photo
Details about the shooter, Thomas Crooks, began surfacing after the FBI identified him as the subject involved in the assassination attempt. He was a 2022 graduate of Bethel Park High School.
A law enforcement official told CBS News that the Secret Service and FBI are investigating the gunman's background and speaking with his family.
High school yearbook and graduation photos of Thomas Matthew Crooks
No foreign terrorism ties are known to Crooks at this time and the gunman was not on law enforcement's radar, a law enforcement official said.
There was no indication that Crooks had a connection to any military branch, officials confirmed to CBS News.
Crooks' political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show he was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania but previously made a $15 donation to a Democratic-aligned group, CBS Pittsburgh station KDKA reported.
BY KAIA HUBBARD
10:03 AM / JULY 14, 2024
Secret Service says it is "untrue" that Trump team asked for more protection
The Secret Service issued a statement on Sunday morning saying it was "untrue" that a member of Trump's team had requested more Secret Service protection.
"There's an untrue assertion that a member of the former President's team requested additional security resources & that those were rebuffed. This is absolutely false. In fact, we added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel" protocols, the Secret Service said in a statement.
Trump has had a Secret Service detail since 2016, and all former presidents and their spouses have Secret Service protection for the remainder of their lives, unless that person declines. Trump was given additional protection in June as part of the protocol for the process for a presumptive presidential nominee. Those additional protections include additional manpower, counter sniper, drones and robotic dogs.
BY NICOLE SGANGA
9:25 AM JULY 14, 2024
Trump campaign managers urge staff to stay away from offices after assassination attempt
Trump campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita instructed campaign staff in a memo to stay away from offices in Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach, Florida, while the locations are assessed and security enhanced.
"Our highest priority is to keep all of you on this staff safe," the advisers said in the memo, which noted that the RNC Convention in Milwaukee will continue as planned.
"We also urge you to recognize the political polarization in this heated election," the managers said, instructing staff not to comment publicly on the incident. "We condemn all forms of violence, and will not tolerate dangerous rhetoric on social media."
BY KAIA HUBBARD
UPDATED 9:15 AM / JULY 14, 2024
Johnson: "Everyone needs to turn the rhetoric down"
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday on NBC's Today that he spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last night, and that "everyone needs to turn the rhetoric down."
"We can have heated political discourse and debates but it shouldn't be personal and we shouldn't be targeting people," Johnson said. "I mean, look, President Biden himself said in recent days, it's time to put the bullseye on Trump. I mean, I know that he didn't mean what is being implied there, but that kind of language on either side should be called out and we have to make clear that this is part of our system. We can have vigorous debate, but it needs to end there."
Johnson has called on the House to conduct an investigation into the shooting.
BY CAROLINE LINTON
8:55 AM / JULY 14, 2024
Law enforcement search home of Trump rally shooter
Public records show the home is that of 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, who federal law enforcement officials identified as the shooter who opened fire at the rally in Butler on Saturday evening.
One neighbor, who lives only a few homes down the road from the gunman, told CBS Pittsburgh that police evacuated her home in the middle of the night. She was told noon on Sunday was the earliest she could be allowed back into her home.
"They asked us to leave our house. They told us it was a state of emergency, no warning, just a knock on the door in the middle of the night," Kelly Little said. "They told us we could come back in a couple of hours, likely."
Trump posted on Truth Social early Sunday that Americans need to "remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness," hours after a gunman opened fire at his Pennsylvania rally, leaving him injured.
"In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win," Trump wrote. "I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin."
Trump is scheduled to speak Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
BY CAROLINE LINTON
Trump Rally Shooting
Live Updates: Trump rally shooting investigation continues as details emerge
Eric Trump calls security failures that led to rally shooting "infuriating"
House panel to subpoena Secret Service director about Trump assassination attempt
Sniper took picture of Trump rally shooter before attack, source says
Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and NewYork.
Welcome to USA Weekly News
Donald Trump Assassination Attempt
Analysis of the attemped assassination of Donald Trump
USWeekly.com.au Analysis of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump
1. Leroy Fletcher Prouty a former CIA cornel stated in his book 'The Secret Team' that one can work out who was behind ordering, allowing, encouraging, arranging and/or orchestrating an attempted or successful assassination ..... one first has to find out who was responsible to reducing the amount if security protecting a politician, royal family member or other important public figure, that allowed such attempted or successful assassination to take place.
2. On the undisputable evidence, the USA Security Services allowed the opportunity for the shooter to set up an excellent firing position on a nearby roof which should have occupied by a USA Security Services Sniper.
3 A large tree protected Trump Shooter.
4. Crooks was a registered Republican, according to state voter records, and donated $15 to a Democratic political action committee when he was 17.
Analysis
Open campaign events, such as Saturday's, are tough to secure against all threats, but insiders said they were surprised that the gunman was able to scale a roof overlooking the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump was speaking.
A "fundamental security failure" allowed a gunman to get close enough to Donald Trump to shoot him, according to an analysis of the scene of the assassination attempt.
Sky News analysis of the area where the former president was shot from as he gave a speech to supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, suggests a large tree blocked the view between the gunman and the closest armed protection unit.
Monday 15 July 2024
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Gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump was registered Republican
The 20-year-old nursing-home employee from suburban Pittsburgh who tried to assassinate former president Donald Trump was a registered Republican who packed explosives in the vehicle he drove to the campaign rally an hour from his home.
Law enforcement officials were trying to learn more about Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to determine what motivated him to open fire on the rally from a nearby rooftop, killing one spectator, before he was shot dead by the Secret Service
The FBI said on Sunday it has not yet identified any underlying ideology or threatening writing or social media posts from Crooks, who graduated from high school two years ago and had no past criminal cases against him, according to public court records. The FBI said it believes Crooks acted alone.
Mr Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said on social media that the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting.
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A street in Bethel Park is blocked by law enforcement. Photo: Joshua A. Bickel/AP.
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Two spectators were critically injured, authorities said. The man killed was Corey Comperatore, 50, a former fire chief from the area who Pennsylvania’s governor says died a “hero” by diving on to his family to protect them.
Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN on Saturday that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but would not speak about his son until after he talked to law enforcement.
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. In a video of the school’s graduation ceremony posted online, Crooks can be seen crossing the stage to receive his diploma, appearing slight of build and wearing glasses.
Crooks tried to get into the school’s rifle team but was turned away because he was a bad shot, said Frederick Mach, a current captain of the team who was a few years behind Crooks at the school.
Jason Kohler, who said he attended the same high school but did not share any classes with Crooks, said Crooks was bullied at school and sat alone at lunch time. Other students mocked him for the clothes he wore, which included hunting outfits, Mr Kohler said.
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Police tape blocks a street in Bethel Park. Photo: Joshua A. Bickel/AP.
“He was bullied almost every day,” Mr Kohler told reporters. “He was just a outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays.”
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Crooks worked at a nursing home as a dietary aide, a job that generally involves food preparation.
Marcie Grimm, the administrator of Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, said in a statement she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement”.
Ms Grimm added that Crooks had a clean background check when he was hired.
Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave money to a progressive political action committee on January 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn into office.
Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger told AP on Sunday that Crooks had been previously unknown to investigators in his county and had not been on their radar.
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Thomas Matthew Crooks in the 2022 Bethel Park High School Commencement. Photo: The Bethel Park School District/AP.
He said the investigation had so far not turned up any evidence that he had co-ordinated with anyone else in the region.
A blockade had been set up Sunday blocking traffic near Crooks’ house, which is in an enclave of modest brick houses in the hills outside blue-collar Pittsburgh and about an hour’s drive from the site of the Trump rally.
Police cars were stationed at an intersection near the house and officers were seen walking through the neighbourhood.
Bomb-making materials were found inside Crooks’ vehicle near the Trump rally and at his home, according to two officials. A white Allegheny County Police truck identified as bomb squad pulled up to the home on Sunday.
Crooks used an AR-style rifle, which authorities said they believe was purchased by his father.
Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said that investigators do not yet know if he took the gun without his father’s permission.
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A road is closed in Bethel Park. Photo: Gene J. Puskar/AP.
One local police officer climbed to the roof and encountered Crooks, who pointed his rifle at the officer.
The officer retreated down the ladder and Crooks quickly took a shot at Mr Trump, and that is when Secret Service snipers shot him, said the officials.
A video posted on social media and geolocated by AP shows Crooks wearing a grey T-shirt with a black American flag on the right arm lying motionless on the roof of a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm showgrounds where Mr Trump’s rally was held.
The roof where Crooks lay was less than 150 metres from where Mr Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. That is a distance at which US Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M-16 rifle.
Images of Crooks’ body reviewed by AP show he appears to have been wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a popular YouTube channel that regularly posts videos of its creator firing off handguns and assault rifles at targets that include human mannequins.
Matt Carriker, the Texas-based creator of Demolition Ranch, did not respond to a phone message or email on Sunday, but posted a photo of Crooks’ body wearing his brand’s T-shirt on social media with the comment “What the hell.”
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Crooks was a registered Republican, according to state voter records, and donated $15 to a Democratic political action committee when he was 17.
Summary
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Biden orders review of how gunman got so close
Gunman worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home
Four-day convention gets under way on Monday
Trump to name his vice presidential running mate
MILWAUKEE, July 14 (Reuters) - Donald Trump arrived on Sunday in Milwaukee, where he will be formally nominated as the Republican presidential candidate later this week after surviving an assassination attempt that has aggravated an already bitter U.S. political divide.President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ordered a review of how a 20-year-old man with an AR-15-style rifle got close enough to shoot at Trump from a rooftop on Saturday. Trump, as a former president, has lifetime protection by the U.S. Secret Service
.Trump, 78, was holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania - a key state in the Nov. 5 election - when shots rang out, hitting his right ear and leaving his face streaked with blood. His campaign said he was doing well.
"That reality is just setting in," Trump told the Washington Examiner on Sunday. "I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?"
One person in the crowd was killed and two others wounded before Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect.
Both Trump and Biden on Sunday sought calm and unity.
Trump is due to accept his party's formal nomination at the Republican National Convention with a speech on Thursday. He pumped his fist in the air several times as he descended the stairs from his plane after arriving in Milwaukee.
"This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would've been two days ago," Trump told the Washington Examiner.
Biden delivered a televised address from the Oval Office in the White House on Sunday.
"There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions. We can't allow this violence to be normalized," he said. "The political rhetor
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