An initial analysis of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, has unveiled troubling deficiencies in the handling of the case by federal authorities, casting doubt on the thoroughness of the investigation.
Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), a member of the House Task Force investigating the attempted assassination, authored a report after spending 20 hours at the crime scene in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The report, dated August 12, 2024, and directed to Task Force Chairman Mike Kelly, exposes concerning actions and oversights by the FBI that appear to compromise the integrity of the inquiry.
Higgins’ report brings attention to key findings from his examination, shedding light on the circumstances preceding and during the assassination attempt.
Notably, it highlights an instance where the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) failed to retrieve radios that had been allocated to them by Butler County tactical command.
These radios were essential for coordinated security efforts during the rally. The failure to collect and utilize these radios as planned raises significant concerns about communication breakdowns during the event.
“Butler County runs the radio communications tower out of their 911 Call Center. That is pretty much the way radio communications work across America in every County, in every State. If their radios are “interoperable,” a visiting law enforcement agency is assigned a frequency, a “channel” for their operation while in that County. If their radios are not “interoperable” with the County Communications tower, then the visiting agency is assigned/offered actual radios to use while they are running their operation in the County.
“USSS did not retrieve the radios that had been set aside for them by Butler County tactical command. The radio comms were properly and perfectly arranged during the extensive pre-mission planning. On J12, the Butler County ESU Commander personally reminded the USSS counter-sniper teams to pick up their assigned radios at the ESU Command Post RV, which was positioned according to planning at the Butler Fairgrounds, the following morning before 1100 hrs. It didn’t happen.”
The FBI purportedly has all eight casings from the shots fired by Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin.
Furthermore, a Butler SWAT operator fired the ninth shot that disrupted Crooks’ attack, and a USSS counter-sniper team is believed to have fired the fatal tenth shot.
“8 shots were fired by Crooks from his firing (and dying) position on the AGR rooftop. The position provided excellent concealment for Crooks from the northern counter-sniper team due to the foliage/branches of two trees. Crooks’ firing position did NOT offer excellent concealment from the southern counter-sniper team.
However, it should be noted that the would-be assassin perfectly positioned himself to minimize the threat of counter-fire from the ground or the USSS counter-sniper teams. Crooks’ firing position was also several feet back from the actual peak of the AGR rooftop. By choosing this position, Crooks effectively minimized the sky-lined profile of his head and upper body.
All 8 casings were recovered and are allegedly in proper possession of the FBI. Thomas Matthew Crooks’ rifle is also allegedly in the proper possession of the FBI. I will need to examine all of the physical evidence that has been harvested by law enforcement and is in the possession of the FBI. All of it.
The 9th shot fired on J13 was from a Butler SWAT operator from the ground about 100 yards away from the AGR building. Shot 9 hit Crooks’ rifle stock and fragged his face/neck/right shoulder area from the stock breaking up.
The SWAT operator who took this shot was a total badass; when he had sighted the shooter Crooks as a mostly obscured by foliage moving target on the AGR rooftop, he immediately left his assigned post and ran towards the threat, running to a clear shot position directly into the line of fire while Crooks was firing 8 rounds.
On his own, this ESU SWAT operator took a very hard shot, one shot. He stopped Crooks and importantly, I believe the shot damaged the buffer tube on Crooks’ AR. I won’t be certain of this until I can examine Crooks’ rifle, but I’m 99% sure, based upon reliable eye-witness ESU tactical officers who observed Crooks’ rifle before the FBI harvested it as evidence. This means that if his AR buffer tube was damaged, Crooks’ rifle wouldn’t fire after his 8th shot.
The 10th (and, I believe, final) shot was fired from the southern counter-sniper team. I will not be 100% certain of this until further investigation. However, I am quite sure that the USSS southern counter-sniper team fired the killing shot, which, according to my investigation, entered somewhere around the left mouth area and exited the right ear area. Instant over. This entry-exit aligns with USSS southern counter-sniper team position.”
Higgins’ investigation into Crooks’ body uncovered that the FBI had authorized the body to be cremated only ten days after the incident, without informing local law enforcement or the county coroner. This premature release has impeded efforts to confirm the validity of the autopsy and other forensic reports.
My effort to examine Crooks’ body on Monday, August 5, caused quite a stir and revealed a disturbing fact… the FBI released the body for cremation 10 days after J13. On J23, Crooks was gone.
Nobody knew this until Monday, August 5, including the County Coroner, law enforcement, Sheriff, etc. Yes, Butler County Coroner technically had legal authority over the body, but I spoke with the Coroner, and he would have never released Crooks’ body to the family for cremation or burial without specific permission from the FBI.
The coroner’s report and autopsy report are both “late.” As of Monday, August 5, they were a week late. The problem with me not being able to examine the actual body is that I won’t know 100% if the coroner’s report and the autopsy report are accurate.
We will actually never know. Yes, we’ll get the reports and pictures, etc, but I will not ever be able to say with certainty that those reports and pictures are accurate according to my own examination of the body. Again, similar to releasing the crime scene and scrubbing crime scene biological evidence… this action by the FBI can only be described by any reasonable man as an obstruction to any following investigative effort.
Despite online videos implying the existence of another gunman on a nearby water tower, Higgins’ inquiry revealed no evidence to back up this claim. A drone cleared the water tower on the morning of J13, and the ladder was never lowered that day, making it highly improbable for anyone to have gained access to the tower.
“The water tower was cleared by drone J13 AM by the County tactical commander, ESU Commander Lenz himself.
The water tower ladder was never lowered that day. Two local cops, non-ESU officers, were assigned to be parked in the water tower area as “response” units for traffic issues or whatever. They DID leave that post, but only in the hour prior to shooting.
There are videos on the internet showing a dark figure or a shadow on the water tower on J13. If there had been someone on that tower on J13, it would have to have been some top-shelf operator way beyond anything I’ve ever actually seen. Regular SWAT operators or snipers would not have the skills and gear to quickly overcome the first 25 feet of no ladder and then climb the remaining 75 feet to the catwalk, and then climb the quite intimidating and precarious dome vent access ladder.
It is true that the vent area at the very top of the water tower is the only point that would have allowed a clear line of sight to both Trump and Crooks’ firing position. I sighted out this fact very carefully during my hours on the ground at the Butler Farm/AGR/ water tower crime scene area.
However, I do not believe it was possible for a “2nd shooter” sniper to be on top of that water tower on J13, nor have I seen any evidence that supports the theory of a 2nd shooter. I’m not saying conclusively that there was no other shooter somewhere or that no other conspirators were involved in J13, but I’m saying that based on my investigation thus far, there were 10 shots fired on J13, and all shots are accounted for, and all shots align with their source. Crooks’ 8 shots (3 plus 5), ESU SWAT 1 shot, USSS southern sniper team 1 shot. Over.
I will be allowed to climb the tower at some point, perhaps next month, but it’s quite a climb. The Butler County Water Works directors were very concerned about accommodating my climb, although they did agree to a later date. I’ll have to return when I can coordinate with their safety team because we just ran out of daylight, but Butler County Water Works was cooperative, and I got a very close look at the water tower on Monday, August 5.”
The report also examines other aspects of the investigation, specifically challenging the notion of a second shooter in the building.
“There are videos circulating on the internet that appear to show a “muzzle flash” from inside the AGR building, from the window below Crooks’ firing position on the roof of the AGR building. I carefully examined this window inside and out, and I interviewed the AGR employee who has worked in that small office area for many years. That window does not open and has never opened. The “muzzle flash” from inside that window was either a digital fabrication or an iPhone light or iPhone camera flash reflected from the glass of the widow.
Crooks did not have a ladder at AGR on J13. He accessed the roof by climbing onto an air conditioning unit. I reenacted his climb with no problem.”
The report expresses concerns regarding the FBI’s management of the crime scene and evidence. The agency released the crime scene after only three days and removed biological evidence, a practice that Higgins characterizes as unprecedented in law enforcement.
“The FBI released the crime scene after just 3 days, much to everyone’s surprise. I interviewed several First Responders who expressed everything from surprise to dismay to suspicion regarding the fact that the FBI released the crime scene so early after J13.
It should be noted that the FBI was fully aware of the fact that Congress would be investigating J13. The FBI does not exist in a vacuum. They had to know that releasing the J13 crime scene would injure the immediate observations of any following investigation.
The FBI cleaned up biological evidence from the crime scene, which is unheard of. Cops don’t do that, ever.”
Congressman Higgins’ report underscores the need for further investigation into several crucial areas, such as the origins of Crooks, his training, and the potential involvement of other conspirators in the assassination attempt.
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