Sniper Stops Armed Man Before Secret Service Takes Action

In a dramatic turn of events on July 13, a sniper intervened to prevent Thomas Matthew Crooks from assassinating former President Trump during a campaign rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Notably, the sniper who halted Crooks was not affiliated with the U.S. Secret Service. Following the incident, a Secret Service sniper fatally shot Crooks, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the event and the subsequent handling of evidence. Former police officer Higgins has expressed concerns regarding the FBI's management of the investigation, particularly the decision to cremate Crooks before the House committee could begin its inquiry. Higgins has yet to conduct his own investigation or review the evidence related to Crooks. He highlighted the impressive marksmanship of the Butler SWAT sniper, who fired the ninth shot, suggesting that Crooks' rifle may have malfunctioned after his eighth shot due to potential damage to the AR buffer tube. The early release of the crime scene by the FBI has also drawn skepticism from first responders, who noted that such actions are atypical in law enforcement. Higgins revealed that he only learned on August 5 about the FBI's approval for Crooks' cremation, which occurred ten days after the assassination attempt. While he does not dismiss the possibility of a second shooter, Higgins stated that his preliminary investigation accounted for all ten shots fired during the incident, attributing eight to Crooks and one each to the Butler SWAT and Secret Service snipers.