Police Snipers Were Present Inside Building Where Trump Attacker Crawled On Top

Pennsylvania: New details have emerged in the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump during an election rally on Sunday where a New York post report has claimed that a counter-sniper team from the local police force was stationed inside the building from where the shooter launched an attack that left one attendee dead and several others, including Trump, injured.

In another report by the New York Times, the building -- AGR International Inc. factory in Pennsylvania's Butler -- was said to have been excluded from the Secret State Services' security perimeter as the local police were tasked with securing that building. The security arrangement for the building was handed over to the local police. However, there were no one placed at the top of the roof where the shooter was, according to the NYT report.

The terrace, located only 118 meters from the stage, provided the perfect spot for launching a sniper attack and it was the failure of both the US State Secret Service and the local police forces to prevent any such attack from happening, security experts had earlier told Republic, adding that frantic calls from attendees pointing at the shooter crawling up the roof and positioning himself "mysteriously" went unnoticed.

Before Shooting Incident, Cop Backed Down As Thomas Crooks Pointed Gun At Him

Now, the NY Post report claims that the cops were not on the roof despite being present inside the building. A local outlet reported that Thomas Crooks was present 26 minutes before the attack, adding that a cop captured the image of Crooks before the shooting incident. Citing sources, the NY Post wrote that it was unclear as to why the local forces were unable to warn the Secret State Service agents about the attacker when another local officer, checking the perimeter, had reportedly spotted the shooter pointing his gun towards him and backed out.

The building, barely 120 meters away, provided the perfect perch for any sniper to get a clear shot at Trump, security experts had told Republic. The building has now become the focal point of the probe that intends to throw light on the loopholes in the security, leading up to the attack. Both local police and State Secret Services came under heavy attack as the Homeland  Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas on Monday stated that it was a security failure.