A local police officer found former President Trump’s suspected shooter on Saturday, moments before a bullet struck the former president’s ear at the rally in Pennsylvania, the Associated Press reported.
After attendees at the former president’s rally noticed a man climbing onto the roof of a nearby building, they alerted local authorities, the AP reported, citing two police officers who spoke to the outlet on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. .
An officer went up to the roof and found 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who, according to the AP, pointed his rifle at the officer. When the officer came down the stairs, Crooks “quickly fired toward” Trump, the AP reported.
At that moment, U.S. Secret Service countersnipers opened fire on Crooks, killing him, according to the AP.
Since Trump was shot on Saturday, questions about how the shooter managed to position himself to shoot the former president have circulated among media experts and officials.
The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as a possible act of domestic terrorism, but the alleged shooter’s motive remains unknown.
The FBI said it believes Crooks, who had bomb-making materials in the car he drove to the rally, acted alone. Investigators found no threatening comments on social media accounts or ideological positions that could help explain what led him to attack Trump, the AP reported.
The Associated Press contributed.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
