Washington [US], July 16: Local television station WPXI in Pennsylvania reported that police discovered the man who shot former President Donald Trump nearly 30 minutes before he opened fire.
According to WPXI, a member of the Beaver County (Pennsylvania) emergency response unit at 5:45 p.m. on July 13 (local time) discovered a suspicious person on the roof near where former President Trump held a rally. The unit arrived and took a photo of that person.
Nearly half an hour later, shots were fired from the roof toward Mr. Trump as he spoke from the podium.
In an interview with ABC News on July 15, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle provided details related to the logistical aspects surrounding the deadly shooting on July 13.
"It was unacceptable. And it cannot happen again," Ms Cheatle stressed.
According to the US Secret Service Director, local authorities were tasked with checking the building where the suspect opened fire before a Secret Service sniper neutralized him after Mr. Trump was shot .
She confirmed local police were in the building at the time the gunman was on the roof.
The FBI has accessed the computer and cell phone of suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks, but based on initial analysis, the information collected has not yet helped investigators determine a motive for the assassination.
NBC News quoted four unnamed officials as saying that a cache of guns was found at the suspect's family home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania).
After Crooks opened fire, the father called police to report that his son and his AR rifle, which he had purchased 11 years ago and was part of a collection of more than 12 guns at his home, were missing.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper