Local Officer Confronted Trump Shooter on Roof Before Shots, Sheriff Says

The stage where former President Donald Trump had been standing during an assassination attempt the day before, and the roof of a nearby building where a gunman was shot dead by law enforcement, in Butler, Pa., on July 14, 2024. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

A municipal police officer had encountered the gunman on the rooftop before he fired at former President Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania campaign rally but was unable to stop him in time, the Butler County sheriff said.

Butler County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe told CBS Pittsburgh on Sunday that Butler Township officers had initiated a search after receiving information of a “suspicious person” on a roof near the rally.

The gunman had been spotted by bystanders on the roof of a building outside the rally perimeter for Secret Service, and the area was being guarded by local law enforcement. As the officer tried to climb onto the roof to inspect it, the shooter who was already lying on the roof turned and aimed his gun at him, forcing the officer to withdraw back to ground level for cover.

“All I know is the officer had both hands up on the roof to get up onto the roof, [but] never made it because the shooter had turned towards the officer. And rightfully and smart-fully [sic], the officer let go,” Mr. Slupe said.

The officer was equipped with a firearm, but he was unable to use it because he was gripping onto the roof’s ledge, the sheriff said.

Mr. Slupe told ABC News that after retreating, the officer reported to the security operation over the radio that the man on the roof was armed. The shooter then opened fire on President Trump before being subdued by the Secret Service.

The sheriff said he believed the officer did the right thing by retreating. “I would’ve done the same thing, absolutely,” he said.

When asked if he had spoken to the officer about why he didn’t engage the shooter, Mr. Slupe answered: “No, not my concern.”

Mr. Slupe concurred that it was “a failure” but did not elaborate. He emphasized the need to allow the investigation into the shooting to take its course.

Authorities have identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He fired multiple shots with a rifle at a Trump rally on July 13. The FBI have not yet identified a motive but have not ruled out domestic terrorism.

The tip of President Trump’s right ear was pierced by one of the bullets before he was rushed to his car by Secret Service agents. One of the attendees at the rally, 50-year-old volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed. Two other rally attendees—identified by Pennsylvania State Police as David Dutch and James Copenhaver—were injured.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo

Greg Smith, who attended the rally but only observed from the perimeter, told The Epoch Times that he witnessed the shooter “bear-crawling up the roof” with a rifle during the rally.

“I had a direct line of sight, directly to the backside of that roof,” he said. Mr. Smith said that he tried to alert officers nearby about the shooter.

“I stood there for about one or two minutes, pointing at the guy on the roof. And the police were running around, down and around the bottom of the building,” he said.

“And the next thing you know, the guy crawled up to the peak and took about four shots. I don’t know how many shots it was exactly. That’s what we saw,” he added.

The shooting is being investigated as an attempted assassination. Prior to the attack, officials said, the perpetrator wasn’t on the FBI’s radar as a potential threat.

The FBI’s screening of the shooter’s social media presence has so far revealed no ideology or political beliefs that could have been his basis for the attack, officials said.

President Joe Biden on July 14 called for a “thorough and swift” investigation into the shooting.

Both President Biden and former President Trump have called for unity and non-violence in America ahead of the 2024 election.

Joseph Lord contributed to this report.