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Authorities Reportedly Spotted Trump’s Would-Be Assassin Nearly 30 Minutes Before He Opened Fire

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3 minute read

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By NICK POPE

 

Law enforcement personnel reportedly spotted former President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin about 30 minutes before the gunman opened fire at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania, according to reporting from a local NBC News affiliate.

Authorities reportedly identified the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, on top of the roof from which he ultimately tried to kill Trump at approximately 5:45 p.m., about a half an hour before he nearly assassinated the former president, WPXI reported Monday, citing anonymous law enforcement sources. The individual who reportedly spotted the gunman then reportedly took a picture of him and called it in, though it was unclear at that time whether or not the shooter was armed, the outlet reported.

A law enforcement officer had also reportedly spotted Crooks on the ground at the site of the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally earlier on and reported him as a “suspicious” individual, according to WPXI, citing anonymous law enforcement sources. The individual who spotted Crooks on the grounds reportedly took his picture and tried to search for him, but was unsuccessful, the outlet  reported.

Reuters, WPXI sister station WHIOTV7 and the New York Post have also reported on WPXI’s story.

Subsequently, one law enforcement officer reportedly reached the roof of the building and encountered Crooks, who reportedly pivoted his weapon in the direction of the officer before the officer retreated from the roof, according to The Associated Press. Shortly thereafter, the gunman took aim at Trump and opened fire, coming within inches of assassinating the former president before law enforcement returned fire and killed the assailant.

A bullet grazed Trump’s ear, nearly killing him, while one attendee was killed and another two injured. Local police personnel were inside the building from which Crooks fired on Trump while the shooter was on the roof, the Secret Service confirmed to ABC News. Little is currently known about Crooks, 20,  and his worldview, other than that he had registered as a Republican and had previously made a small donation to a Democrat-aligned political organization, according to Axios.

The Secret Service has drawn considerable scrutiny for its approach to securing the venue site given that the shooter was able to get several clear shots off at Trump before being neutralized. President Joe Biden has called for a “thorough and swift” review of the shooting, and lawmakers are also moving to conduct their own probe of the botched assassination attempt.

The Beaver County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

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One dead, over 60 injured after Iranian missiles pierce Iron Dome

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MXM logo MxM News 

Quick Hit:

Iran launched four waves of missile attacks Friday night, breaching Israel’s defenses and killing at least one person. Over 60 others were injured, with the IDF confirming direct strikes on civilian areas in Tel Aviv and central Israel.

Key Details:

  • The Israel Defense Forces reported four rounds of Iranian missile fire, with at least ten missiles making impact inside Israel.

  • One person was killed and 63 wounded, including several in critical condition, according to The Jerusalem Post.

  • The IDF said Iran deliberately targeted civilians, contrasting its own earlier strikes that focused on Iranian military assets.

Diving Deeper:

Several Iranian missiles broke through Israel’s air defenses during Friday night’s attack, striking Tel Aviv and other civilian areas. According to The Jerusalem Post, at least 63 people were wounded and one person was killed after four waves of Iranian ballistic missile strikes hit cities across Israel.

The IDF reportedly said roughly 100 missiles were fired in total. While the Iron Dome intercepted many, multiple missiles made it through and exploded in densely populated areas. Dramatic video showed a missile striking near downtown Tel Aviv, sending fire and debris into the air as people ran for cover.

Army Radio confirmed that ten missiles landed inside Israel between the first two waves. By the time the third and fourth waves hit, injuries had climbed sharply, with several listed in critical condition. The one fatality was reported late Friday night.

The Israeli Home Front Command temporarily allowed civilians to exit shelters but quickly reversed that guidance, urging residents to stay near protected areas amid fears of further attacks.

The IDF emphasized the nature of the targets, calling out Iran for targeting civilians. The IDF also released maps showing where air raid sirens were triggered throughout the night. Though Israel’s Home Front Command briefly allowed civilians to exit shelters, it advised them to remain nearby in case of continued strikes. As of late Friday, Iranian officials claimed a fifth wave could follow.

With tensions still high, Israeli defense officials are preparing for potential further escalation—and weighing how to respond to a direct Iranian attack on civilians.

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Iran nuclear talks were ‘coordinated deception’ between US and Israel: report

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From LifeSiteNews

By Kyle Anzalone

Reports state that U.S. peace talks were a ruse and that Trump gave Netanyahu a ‘green light’ to hit Iran’s nuclear and military sites, killing top commanders.

A senior Israeli official told the Jerusalem Post that Tel Aviv and Washington worked together to convince Tehran that diplomacy was still possible after Israel was ready to attack Iran. Just hours before Israel’s massive assault began, President Donald Trump maintained he was still committed to talks.

The Israeli outlet reports, “The round of U.S.-Iranian nuclear negotiations scheduled for Sunday was part of a coordinated U.S.-Israeli deception aimed at lowering Iran’s guard ahead of Friday’s attack.”

READ: Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear sites, kills top commanders in massive air assault

In a post on Truth Social shortly before the Israeli strikes began, Trump declared that “We remain committed to a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Issue! My entire Administration has been directed to negotiate with Iran. They could be a Great Country, but they first must completely give up hopes of obtaining a Nuclear Weapon. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

After the Israeli attack was in progress, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that the U.S. was involved. However, American officials have said the White House was aware Israel was set to begin striking Iran, with Trump telling Fox News he was briefed on the operation.

Barak Ravid of Axios, moreover, later reported that Tel Aviv was given “a clear U.S. green light” to start bombing, citing two unnamed Israeli officials.

Sources speaking with Axios said the perceived split between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was coordinated behind the scenes. “Two Israeli officials claimed to Axios that Trump and his aides were only pretending to oppose an Israeli attack in public – and didn’t express opposition in private,” the report explained. “The goal, they say, was to convince Iran that no attack was imminent and make sure Iranians on Israel’s target list wouldn’t move to new locations.”

The sources said that Trump and Netanyahu discussed the attack during a phone call on Monday. After the call, reports said Trump pressed Netanyahu not to attack Iran, but that was another effort to deceive Iran.

In a second post following the attack, Trump said he gave Iran the opportunity to make a deal, and suggested that Israel used American weapons in the massive air raid. “I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to ‘just do it,’ but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done,” the president wrote.

The U.S. and Iran began negotiations on establishing a new nuclear agreement in April, with the two sides engaging in five rounds of Omani-mediated talks. At times, a deal appeared possible, with Iranian officials saying the dialogue was leading to progress. A sixth round of talks was scheduled for Sunday, but now appears unlikely.

A second source speaking with the Jerusalem Post said the goal of Israel’s military operations was not the complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities, but rather to hit missile sites and top Iranian leaders to bring down the government.

Israel has conducted several rounds of strikes so far, hitting nuclear facilities, residential buildings in Tehran, and military sites. Iran has confirmed that several military leaders and nuclear scientists were killed in the bombing.

Reprinted with permission from Antiwar.com.

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