Authorities tracked shooter at rally venue for more than 90 minutes before Trump assassination attempt

Authorities tracked Thomas Matthew Crooks for more than 90 minutes before he opened fire on former President Donald Trump, the New York Post reported. Members of the Beaver County Emergency Service Unit exchanged text messages about the would-be assassin. 

Trump was shot during a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after the gunman made it to a nearby roof and aimed for the former president's head. Trump was wounded, and three rallygoers were shot, with one sustaining fatal injuries.

Now, it appears that authorities had plenty of time to do something about Crooks before he ever fired a single shot. Local authorities exchanged text messages sharing his whereabouts an hour and a half before the shooting began.

These messages, obtained by the New York Times, also reveal that Crooks was aware of law enforcement movements. One officer shared that he saw the 20-year-old with a rangefinder, a device used to line up long-distance shots.

The Timeline

Trump was scheduled to begin his rally at 6 p.m. that fateful evening. However, it was 4:26 p.m. when an officer mentioned a suspicious person who would later be identified as Crooks making moves that indicated he was aware of law enforcement placing.

"Someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars, just so you know. I’m just letting you know because you see me go out with my rifle and put it in my car, so he knows you guys are up there sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit," one counter-sniper wrote.

Then, just after 5 p.m., Crooks was spotted near the warehouse where he would later position his rifle to fire at Trump from the roof. A counter-sniper took photos of the young man and sent them to a group chat at 5:38 p.m.

"Kid learning around the building we are in. AGR I believe it is. I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him," the text message said., suggesting they share this information with the Secret Service.

"Call it in to command and have a uniform check it out," an officer replied. Messages indicate they were forwarded to the Secret Service, and one final text message around 6 p.m. noted Crooks' movements.

The Aftermath

Crooks fired several shots at 6:11 before being taken down by counter-snipers. When it was all done, Trump and two others were wounded, while 50-year-old husband and father Corey Comperatore was shot dead trying to protect his family from the bullets.

A congressional hearing in the aftermath revealed that the Secret Service claimed there was no communication about a suspicious individual. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned last week amid calls for her ouster.

The FBI still doesn't have a clear motive that explains why Crooks, who reportedly acted alone, targeted Trump, the Washington Post reported. The FBI found his online search history included information on mass shootings, power plants, and details of the assassination attempt against the prime minister of Slovakia.

The agency is fairly certain it was a planned attack and that Crooks was sophisticated enough to keep it under wraps.  "We believe the suspect made significant efforts to conceal his activities," Kevin Rojek, a special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh office, said.

Crooks moved unimpeded through an area near Trump right up until the moment after the gunman opened fire. This is inexcusable and unacceptable from all of the people charged with protecting the former president and current GOP presidential candidate.