Butler rally bodycam released by Pennsylvania police in Trump assassination attempt

By 
 August 9, 2024

Turmoil still swirls surrounding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, with a number of theories surrounding how the shooter was able to take up his position with a rifle and shoot multiple attendees, including the former president.

While many questions about the law enforcement on site are still unanswered, at least local officers have given up access to the event from their perspective, in the form of worn camera footage.

Using a records request, Fox News Digital was able to get police bodycam footage from last month's campaign event, which shows two officers trying to apprehend Thomas Matthew Crooks on a roof only seconds before he reportedly attempted to assassinate former President Trump.

The video captures the seconds just before Crooks shot and killed Corey Comperatore, injured two others, and struck Trump in the ear. Two officers from the Butler Township Police Department tried desperately to stop him.

From the Footage

"F---ing this close, bro," one officer can be heard saying in the bodycam video that was published on Thursday. The officer who was hoisted to see over the roof can be heard saying, "Dude, he turned around on me."

One officer is observed lifting another officer onto the roof, which is approximately 12 feet above the ground, and where Crooks was stationed.

Butler Township Manager Thomas Knights previously disclosed to Fox News Digital that the officer who ascended the building sustained a sprained ankle after the crooks pointed his weapon at him.

The officer ultimately ducked his head and lost his grip on the roof's edge, and fell approximately eight feet to the ground.

The Apprehension

Crooks is captured in the final moments of the footage as officers surround his corpse following the fatal shooting by counter snipers.

Another officer could be heard in the footage, saying "I'm f---ing p---ed. We couldn't find him."

"Before you motherf---ers came up here, I popped my head up there like an idiot by myself, dude," said the officer who was boosted onto the roof.

"Then he turned around and I f---ing dropped, and I started f---ing, I was calling out, ‘Bro, f---ing on top of the roof.’ F---ing, we’re not on the same frequency?"

Local Police Take

According to Butler Township Police Lt. Matthew Pearson, the officer was unable to draw his weapon because he was suspended from the building.

Crooks opened fire seconds later, causing a minor injury to Trump's right ear. Comperatore, 50, was fatally shot while protecting his family from danger and three rallygoers were shot.

" A free people [claim] their rights, as derived from the laws of nature."
Thomas Jefferson