A new report by CNN has unveiled that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, purchased 50 rounds of ammunition mere hours before opening fire at a Trump rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The Secret Service is under scrutiny as Crooks managed to get within 130 yards of Trump, who was addressing the crowd. Witnesses reported seeing a gunman crawling on a nearby building, but law enforcement did not act in time. The building had been flagged for security concerns and was checked by local law enforcement rather than the Secret Service.
Crooks used an AR-style rifle, legally purchased by his father, and fired a shot that grazed Trump’s ear. Aides believe Trump's turn to view a jumbotron displaying immigration statistics may have saved his life, as the bullet narrowly missed him.
In the chaos, former fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed while protecting his family. Two other attendees, David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, sustained critical injuries but are now in stable condition.
Additionally, it was revealed that Crooks had donated $15 in January 2021 to a progressive group supporting President Joe Biden.
