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Thomas Matthew Crooks hid his rifle before sniper attack at Trump rally, intelligence source says

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Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old would-be assassin who opened fire at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, had hidden the weapon in advance, according to a Secret Service source.

However, it was not immediately clear where he had hidden it.

When the agents discovered him on the roof, he was already holding it.

“We went from the golf rangefinder to the AR-15 and now we have to fill the gap,” the source told Fox News.

When authorities first noticed Crooks carrying a golf rangefinder on Saturday, he was perceived as a “person of interest” but not a “threat,” authorities said Thursday.

Odometers were not banned from rallies at the time, but authorities are expected to review the list of prohibited items.

It was only when he was seen with a gun that he officially became a threat.

According to the Secret Service, four anti-sniper teams were stationed around the rally – two from the agency itself and two from local police departments.

According to a Secret Service source, Thomas Matthew Crooks hid the gun in advance. AP
The crooks grazed Trump’s ear during his rally before being gunned down. AP

Of the four teams, two opened fire, one on site and one from the military service.

A government sniper killed the gunman seconds after the shots were fired.

The crooks shot at at least four people from the roof with an AR-15. 50-year-old father of two Corey Comperatore died, while 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver were seriously injured.

When the agents discovered Crooks on the roof, he was already holding it. Received from NY Post

Authorities have spent much of the week searching for the person responsible for securing the AGR building from where the Crooks opened fire.

Trump later said he was shot in the right ear, and photos from the scene showed him getting back to his feet after taking cover with blood on the right side of his head.

Later that week, he made a public appearance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a bandage on his ear.

A government sniper killed the gunman seconds after the shots were fired. AP

Everything we know about the assassination attempt on Trump

  • Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, has been identified as the gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
  • Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service agents immediately after the shooting.
  • The gunman grazed Trump’s ear, killed a 50-year-old retired fire chief and injured two other rally attendees.
  • Investigators detailed Crooks’ search history to lawmakers, revealing that he had searched for the dates of Trump’s appearances and the Democratic National Convention.
  • The crooks’ search history also revealed a broad interest in high-profile individuals and celebrities, regardless of their political affiliation, FBI officials said.
  • Trump told the Washington Post exclusively at the rally how he survived the “surreal” assassination attempt, noting, “I should be dead.”
  • Senior politicians, including President Biden and Vice President Harris, addressed the nation about the shooting, calling it “a heinous, horrific and cowardly act.”
A full breakdown of Saturday’s shooting. The crooks’ car was reportedly found nearby with explosives inside.
Later that week, he made a public appearance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a bandage on his ear. AFP via Getty Images

The wake for Comperatore was scheduled for Thursday.

He will be buried in a private ceremony on Friday.

Hospital officials said the condition of the other victims had been downgraded from critical to serious but stable.

This is breaking news.

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