How Trump’s security forces failed to prevent an assassination attempt

There were early warnings to police. A Secret Service sniper team abruptly changed position. Sudden panic, and then — Multiple shots fired at the former president. A bullet flew right past his head. One person was killed. Two others were injured. How could such a brazen attack happen at a rally protected by the Secret Service and several other law enforcement agencies? To piece together what happened second by second, The New York Times examined dozens of videos and photos, as well as audio recordings from the rally. Our analysis shows how a clear threat emerged just minutes before the shooting. And how law enforcement failed to protect the former president. “Look at what happened.” And those who had come to see him. Thousands are attending a weekend rally for Donald Trump at a fairground in Butler, Pennsylvania. Behind the stage where Trump will speak, two Secret Service sniper teams are stationed on sheds, facing opposite directions and covering different areas of the rally. The Secret Service is also protecting the area closest to the stage. For areas further away, state and local law enforcement are responsible for security, and they use this building as a staging area. Snipers are stationed on the second floor. Videos show several police cars parked outside. An hour before the shooting, the suspect is filmed loitering in this area. A local police official told the Times that about 20 minutes before Trump began speaking, an officer took a photo of the man acting suspiciously. The officer passes the photo around among other officers, but loses sight of the suspicious man. At 6:05 p.m., Trump begins his speech. It will only last six minutes. For now, the snipers behind him appear relaxed and standing upright. At 6:09 p.m., exactly two minutes before Trump is hit, protesters begin pointing at a man crawling on this building next to the staging area. It is the building closest to the staging area. “Guys, criminals. We have criminals.” As the crowd shouts warnings, the Times identified at least one local police officer walking alongside the building. At the same moment this scene is playing out, one of the sniper teams behind Trump can be seen turning and looking toward the building. The other sniper team can also be seen looking intently in the same direction. “My boys, look at this map. Look at the arrow at the bottom.” As Trump continues his speech, the man continues crawling across the roof for over a minute. At one point, according to a local official, a police officer is lifted up to check the roof but sinks to the ground as the gunman takes aim at him. “And look what happened to our country—” Seconds before he opens fire, people on the edge of the rally see that he is holding a gun and begin to run. One of the snipers drops his binoculars. The other grabs his gun. Within seconds, three shots ring out—“Look what happened”—followed by a volley of more. Video analysis shows the first bullet hitting the bleachers to the right of the stage. Trump is hit. Secret Service agents surround him. Seconds later, a gunshot is heard next to the building. The shooter is shot. So where did the bullet come from? “He’s up on the roof.” “Don’t go over there.” Audio analysis of this video by an acoustic expert at Montana State University found that the distance from the camera to the sniper who fired the fatal shot was about 150 yards. That’s the distance from the camera to the southern sniper team, suggesting that one of those officers likely killed the suspected shooter. We also know from aerial footage of the area that a tree blocked the northern sniper team’s line of sight to the shooter. But the southern team had a clearer view. Back at the rally, a minute after Trump was hit, the Secret Service says the shooter is on the ground. As they try to get Trump off the stage, he orders them to stop. And mouths the word “fight” to his supporters. In the stands behind him, three people have been hit by bullets. A volunteer firefighter named Corey Comperatore was shot in the head and killed. Two other rally attendees were seriously injured. A federal investigation has been launched into security lapses at the rally, and there are still many unanswered questions about the shooter’s motives and movements before the shooting. But our analysis raises another question: one that the Secret Service declined to comment on. Why was the former president allowed to remain on stage when the threat had surfaced minutes before the attempt on his life?