Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was perceived by the U.S. Secret Service as a "person of interest," not yet a "threat" after law enforcement saw him acting suspiciously and determined he had a golf range finder, according to Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
Crooks was only identified as a threat when he "retrieved the weapon" and climbed onto the roof, according to Guglielmi, who adds that a threat requires, "a different protocol and a different course of action than a person of interest."
Guglielmi maintains that it was only once Crooks retrieved his weapon and got on the roof that he was identified as a threat.
Soon after that, Butler Township police officers confronted Crooks on the roof and he pointed his weapon at one of them, who then dropped off the roof.
LIVE UPDATES: SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR REFUSES TO STEP DOWN AS FBI INVESTIGATES TRUMP RALLY SHOOTER
Crooks then fired on former president Trump and was taken out by a Secret Service counter sniper.
The FBI is leading the investigation into the attack on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. The motive as to why Crooks opened fire at Trump and rallygoers remains unknown.
SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR AGREES TO TESTIFY AT HOUSE HEARING ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Secret Service and FBI officials told U.S. senators during an all-members briefing on Wednesday that Crooks, 20, wrote a threatening message on the gaming platform "Steam" days before the attempted assassination.
According to the officials, Crooks allegedly wrote: "July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds."
In the wake of the incident, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is facing pressure to resign, with House Speaker Mike Johnson telling FOX Business on Thursday that he is ready to call on President Biden to fire her.
