New Bodycam Video Shows Police Confronting Armed Man in Trump Assassination Attempt.
Recently released bodycam footage captures the tense moment when a police officer was hoisted onto a roof where Thomas Crooks, an armed assailant who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, was positioned just before the shooting.
The footage, obtained by Fox News Digital, shows a Butler Township police officer attempting to climb onto the roof of AGR International on July 13 to confront the shooter. As the officer peers over the roof’s edge, he suddenly finds himself facing the barrel of Crooks’ weapon.
The video shows the officer being lifted up by another officer, struggling to hoist himself onto the roof, and then quickly dropping back down to the ground. He sprints around the building, seemingly warning fellow officers and bystanders of the imminent danger.
Moments later, Crooks opens fire on Trump’s rally, striking the former president in the ear and killing a bystander. Crooks was shot and killed by law enforcement within seconds of firing his first shot.
The video initially starts without audio, but sound kicks in later, revealing the chaotic scene. The officer can be heard describing Crooks, noting his glasses, long hair, and the AR-15 rifle he was carrying.
Over the officer’s radio, requests for an ambulance to the rally’s VIP tent can be heard. After a brief pause, officers encircle the building and begin boosting each other onto the roof.
The officer who initially peered over the roof edge later returns to the roof, where Crooks is seen lying dead, with a long trail of blood running down the sloping surface.
The ledge the officer climbed onto was about 12 feet off the ground, and he fell approximately eight feet, spraining his ankle when Crooks aimed his weapon at him. The officer was unable to draw his own weapon because both his hands were occupied as he tried to pull himself up, according to Butler Township police Lt. Matthew Pearson, which is evident in the bodycam footage.
The release of the video has fueled conspiracy theories, with some viewers questioning why no one warned Trump on stage after Crooks was spotted before he opened fire.
Watch Video below.
JUST IN: New bodycam footage shows the moment Thomas Crooks pointed his gun at a police officer who confronted him on the roof.
The officer could be seen falling from the roof before running to grab his rifle. (Audio is off until 1:38 in the footage)
