The Secret Service agent who shot and killed Donald Trump’s would-be assassin scored a “one-in-a-million” headshot, an investigator has revealed.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was hiding behind the edge of a building’s roof more than 140 yards from where the protective unit was stationed at the Pennsylvania demonstration on July 13.
The officer had only the sights of the 20-year-old’s gun and a few square inches of forehead to aim at as his colleagues rushed to get the wounded former president off the scene.
But the officer took down the gunman with a single shot after a local tactical team fired and missed, a source close to the investigation told Fox News.
The trigger was pulled seconds after the Crooks shot and killed Pennsylvania Fire Chief Corey Comperatore, critically wounded two others and struck Trump in the right ear after scaling a building 147 yards away.
Secret Service agent who shot and killed Donald Trump’s suspected assassin fired a “one-in-a-million” shot to the head, investigator says
The agent had only the 20-year-old’s telescopic sight and a few square inches of forehead to aim at as his Secret Service colleagues rushed to get the wounded former president off the scene.
“They were watching him while he was watching them,” a senior federal law enforcement official told CNN on Wednesday.
A video of the moment, filmed by onlookers, showed Crooks staring through the scope of his father’s AR-style weapon and firing toward the protest as onlookers shouted from the base of the building.
Instantly a shot was heard and Crooks was seen lying dead on the roof while those on the ground gasped in horror.
“The Secret Service doesn’t mess around, man,” one exclaimed. “Shit.”
The former president praised the Secret Service agents who came to his aid in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night.
“They are incredible people,” he told delegates. Secret Service agents were putting themselves in danger.
“The bullets were flying right over them, missing them by just a few centimeters. And then everything stopped.
“Our Secret Service sniper, from a much greater distance and with a single shot, took the life of the assassin. He killed him.”
Thomas Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service agents on the roof of a police checkpoint just 150 yards from where former President Donald Trump was speaking Saturday night.
Trump grabbed his right ear as the first shots rang out at 6:12 p.m.
As Trump raised his fist toward the crowd, some could be heard cheering his name and chanting “USA” and “Make America Great Again.”
Secret Service Director Kimberley Cheatle said the decision was made not to put agents on the roof of the building where Crooks was positioned because it had a “sloped roof.”
But the praise for agents on the ground contrasted sharply with the fury expressed toward Secret Service Director Kimberley Cheatle, who was chased through the halls of the RNC convention hall by angry senators demanding answers Wednesday night.
She was at the Milwaukee convention hall to oversee security arrangements just hours after calling on senators to cover their backs over the shooting in Pennsylvania on Saturday night.
Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee led the charge, complaining that they had not had a chance to ask Cheatle questions during the call.
Barrasso, frustrated, then issued an ultimatum to the head of security.
“You brought him to the brink of death,” Barrasso shouted at Cheatle. “So resignation or full explanation.”
He is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at 10 a.m. Monday after more details emerged of how Crooks was allowed to wander around the Butler rally site for hours without being questioned, despite repeated warnings from members of the public.
The building he scaled had been left in the hands of local police for guarding after Security Service chiefs deemed it too dangerous to station an officer there because of its sloping roof.
Three police marksmen from neighboring Beaver County were reportedly stationed inside the building as Crooks climbed onto the roof and fired his burst of at least six shots from just inches above their heads.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the killer even flew a drone over the scene just hours before the shooting.
Cheatle is scheduled to answer questions at a highly anticipated House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing at 10 a.m. Monday.
Crooks allegedly flew the drone on a pre-determined flight path, and officials say the predetermined route suggests Crooks had flown the small aircraft more than once to scout the rally site.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi insisted in a statement issued Wednesday night that his chief would not resign.
“Continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident, and U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has no intention of resigning,” he said.
‘She deeply respects members of Congress and is firmly committed to transparency as she leads the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthens the agency through lessons learned from these important internal and external reviews.’
