- Watch The JD Rucker Show every day to be truly informed.
(DCNF)—Trump’s would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, reportedly flew a drone over the Pennsylvania site hours before the event, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Law enforcement officials briefed on the matter told the outlet Friday that Crooks was able to fly a drone on a programmed flight path, getting aerial footage of the rally site hours before the event on July 13. Officials noted due to the predetermined path, Crooks could have flown the drone more than once in order to research and scope the area.
The new discovery adds to a growing list of security lapses from authorities, as Republican lawmakers have urged for answers to the attempted assassination of 2024 GOP presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump.
Following the attack, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle sat down for her first interview Monday with ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas, stating that the incident was “unacceptable,” and noted the “buck stops” with her.
“The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service, and I need to make sure that we are performing a review and that we are giving resources to our personnel as necessary,” Cheatle told ABC News. “It was unacceptable and it’s something that shouldn’t happen again.”
Crooks was able to shoot multiple rounds at Trump and the crowd of supporters, from an elevated platform seated upon a shed, which had been outside of Secret Service’s security perimeter.
However, roughly thirty minutes prior to the attack, local law enforcement reportedly spotted the 20-year-old, anonymous law enforcement sources told WPXI. Additionally, a local officer had climbed up onto the roof and spotted Crooks, however, retreated down the ladder after the 20-year-old pivoted his weapon towards the officer, according to The Associated Press.
During a Wednesday meeting with lawmakers at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Secret Service and FBI confirmed Crooks was identified roughly 50 minutes prior to his attack. Both Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso were later recorded confronting U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle over the issue.
Blackburn could be heard scolding Cheatle as to why authorities did not address Crooks, despite knowing “an hour out” that there was a “potential threat” to Trump and instead allowed the former president to take the stage.
The FBI and Secret Service did not immediately respond to Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
It’s becoming increasingly clear that fiat currencies across the globe, including the U.S. Dollar, are under attack. Paper money is losing its value, translating into insane inflation and less value in our life’s savings.
Genesis Gold Group believes physical precious metals are an amazing option for those seeking to move their wealth or retirement to higher ground. Whether Central Bank Digital Currencies replace current fiat currencies or not, precious metals are poised to retain or even increase in value. This is why central banks and mega-asset managers like BlackRock are moving much of their holdings to precious metals.
As a Christian company, Genesis Gold Group has maintained a perfect 5 out of 5 rating with the Better Business Bureau. Their faith-driven values allow them to help Americans protect their life’s savings without the gimmicks used by most precious metals companies. Reach out to them today to see how they can streamline the rollover or transfer of your current and previous retirement accounts.