The attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally was preceded by a concerned call to police from the shooter’s father, revealing a family’s worry and a series of potential red flags missed by law enforcement. This incident has ignited questions about security protocols and the events leading up to the gunfire at the Trump rally on Saturday. The “Trump Shooter Family” narrative is emerging as details unfold about the father’s prior contact with authorities due to concerns about his son’s well-being.
Matthew Crooks’ father contacted police out of apprehension regarding his son’s state of mind and whereabouts, as reported by CBS, the BBC’s news partner, citing a law enforcement source. This call, placed before the shooting incident, underscores the family’s awareness of potential issues. The exact timing and specifics of the father’s conversation with the police remain unclear, but Fox News reported that Crooks’ parents, Mary and Matthew, expressed their worries to officers about their son’s unexplained disappearance. Both parents are reportedly cooperating fully with the ongoing FBI investigation.
Several red flags have surfaced in the aftermath of the incident, indicating potential opportunities for intervention before the shooting occurred. Beyond the father’s call, a counter sniper had identified a suspicious individual using a rangefinder approximately 20 minutes prior to the attack. Members of Congress briefed by law enforcement also revealed that local police had initially observed the gunman, acting suspiciously and carrying a backpack, about an hour before shots were fired. Despite these early observations, the police lost sight of him in the crowd, only for him to be spotted again later by the sniper. This sequence of events raises critical questions about communication and response times among law enforcement agencies present at the rally. Some lawmakers have even called for the resignation of the head of the Secret Service in light of these apparent security lapses.
Investigators are delving into the 20-year-old gunman’s background to understand his motives. Reports from the Washington Post and Associated Press indicate that he had conducted online searches related to major depressive disorder and the Democratic National Convention scheduled for August. Furthermore, he had saved images of various high-profile figures, including Trump, President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Chris Wray, and a member of the British Royal Family. Despite these details, a definitive motive for the attack remains elusive as the investigation continues.
The preliminary investigation details how Crooks managed to position himself to open fire. He reportedly climbed onto the roof of a building adjacent to the rally by ascending an air conditioning unit. An officer, acting on alerts about a suspicious person, checked the rooftop and encountered the suspect face-to-face. According to Butler Township Manager Tom Knights, the suspect pointed a rifle at the officer, who, in a vulnerable position, was forced to drop from the roof to the ground. This encounter immediately preceded the commencement of the shooting.
Law enforcement officials are also scrutinizing how Crooks managed to bring an AR-style rifle to the rally undetected. He was not seen carrying a weapon when initially spotted in the crowd. Investigators are exploring theories that he may have concealed the rifle near the air conditioning units earlier in the day or potentially smuggled it inside his backpack. Crucially, officials have confirmed to CBS that the semi-automatic rifle used in the attack was legally purchased by Crook’s father in 2013. Adding another layer of complexity, authorities discovered a remote detonator on the gunman’s person and explosives in his car.
As the investigation progresses, the focus remains on unraveling the gunman’s motivations and understanding the full extent of the events leading up to the attempted attack. The initial concern raised by the “trump shooter family,” specifically the father’s call to police, highlights the complexities and potential missed opportunities in preventing such incidents.
