Police responded to a report of a “suspicious male” around the same time former President Donald Trump arrived at the Pennsylvania rally on Saturday (13), according to Tom Knights, a Butler County official.
Knights said in a statement Wednesday (17) that the report indicated the suspect was near the AGR building where the shooter carried out the attack.
The statement did not provide a time of the incident. Trump arrived at the rally before 6 p.m. ET, and the attack occurred at 6:12 p.m. ET.
Officers did not initially locate the person around the building, according to Knights’ statement.
He noted that an officer attempted to access the roof with the help of a colleague who tried to hoist him up. The officer who was climbing the side of the building saw an individual on the roof who pointed a rifle at him, Knights said.
“The officer was in a defenseless position and there was no way he could engage the actor while holding onto the edge of the roof. The officer let go and fell to the ground,” the official explained.
Butler Township police “immediately” reported the individual’s location and shared that he had a gun, but “moments later, the individual began shooting,” according to the report.
Tom Knights’ description of the deputy seeing the shooter on the roof but not being able to engage him matches what Butler County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe told CNN on Sunday (14).
Knights said Butler Township police were in charge of traffic control at the rally.
Source: CNN Brasil
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