The would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump was identified as a suspicious person by the U.S. Secret Service before he shot the 2024 Republican presidential nominee during a Pennsylvania campaign rally on Saturday.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) told Fox News on Wednesday that the Secret Service disclosed to lawmakers in a telephone briefing that the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was spotted by law enforcement officials loitering with a backpack and a rangefinder for more than an hour before the incident took place.
“He was identified as a character of suspicion because [he had] a rangefinder as well as a backpack. And this was over an hour before the shooting actually occurred,” Barrasso told the news outlet, while expressing frustration that there was “no evidence” of any follow-up on the matter.
Barrasso also stated that the Secret Service agent in charge of security for the event was on the phone with local police discussing the report of Crooks’ presence when the 20-year-old discharged an AR-style rifle towards Trump, causing injury to the right side of his head.
The Senator also expressed disapproval of the nature of the informative session, describing the meeting as being concluded after just a few questions that "didn't get to any of the meat of the matter."
In addition to wounding Trump, the shooting killed one and critically injured two individuals who were attending the gathering.
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