Staff Reports
The internet is buzzing with what some might call the hottest footage of a failed assassin since, well, the last attempted attack on a prominent figure. The latest highlight reel features Thomas Matthew Crooks, who quite literally made a roof-top appearance before shooting at former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, back on July 13. The clarity of this recently unearthed video sharply contrasts with the fuzzy images making the rounds earlier. That must be a relief for all the aspiring sleuths out there—nothing like high-definition to boost conspiracy theories.
In this viral sensation, captured by a vendor on the rally grounds, Crooks can be seen casually milling about, possibly trying to blend in with the crowd before he took his spot above the audience and unleashed a torrent of gunfire. The irony is rich: everyone’s busy enjoying a fairgrounds rally, and here’s Crooks trying to secure a spot on the roof for his big moment, consequently ruining what could have been an innocuous summer day for many.
🚨BREAKING NEWS… ***NEW VIDEO*** shows shooter, Thomas Crooks, at #Trump rally walking around the building from which he shot a FULL 1 hr., 5 min (at 5:07pm) BEFORE. He fired off 8 rounds from the roof at 6:12pm. This is bystander video first obtained by WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/yoqNbKW7in
— Steve Norris (@SteveNorrisTV) July 17, 2024
Following the video upload to TikTok, the usual suspects got to work. Conservative commentators, including Jack Posobiec, scrutinized this brief clip, debating whether the mysterious figure Crooks seems to track could be a harmless attendee or something much more sinister. Given his attire—a long-sleeved shirt and long pants on a sweltering 94-degree day—it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow. Is it a rally? Or a costume party for dubious characters hoping to disrupt the festivities?
Intriguingly, though Crooks walks through the crowd unarmed and seemingly calm, the ominous cloud of context hangs over the footage. At the time of the recording, a local police sniper had already reported a suspicious individual. Apparently, Crooks was getting tips from law enforcement before he even got a chance to showcase his “talents.” In hindsight, he might have even played the role better as a security drill than an assassin—keeping everyone on their toes without ever hitting his mark, which ultimately led to his own downfall.
As chaos ensued and Crooks had his plans thwarted—with a SWAT operator’s bullet putting an end to his little escapade—questions remain. Like, who was that guy in the button-up shirt? Why the long pants on a hot, humid day? Was he part of Crooks’ support group, or did he just forget to dress appropriately? Law enforcement may have eliminated this particular threat, but the lingering mystery surrounding the events of that day raises a host of concerns that won’t go away anytime soon.
As the details emerge, those familiar fluttering doubts of security at public events whir around—each more curious than the last. A failed assailant, a suspicious figure in the crowd, and a day meant for celebration turned into a heightened state of alert. If that doesn’t highlight the importance of vigilance at political gatherings, then what does? It’s a combination of strange occurrences that suggests there’s always more than meets the eye in the unpredictable world of politics.
