Trump would-be assassin climbed air conditioning unit to access shooting perch: report

Thomas Matthew Crooks used an air conditioning unit to climb on to the roof of the Pennsylvania building where he fired at former President Trump, a report says.

The Pennsylvania man who tried to assassinate former President Trump on Saturday accessed his roof firing perch by clambering up an air conditioning unit, according to a report.

Thomas Crooks, 20, repeatedly discharged an AR rifle – believed to belong to his father – during a Saturday rally in Butler, striking Trump in the ear and killing a rally attendee, ABC News reported.

Officials said the troubled loner purchased a ladder from a local Home Depot prior to the shooting but did not use it to scale the building, positioned roughly 150 yards from where Trump spoke.

Instead, he used an air conditioning unit adjacent to the building as a foothold and climbed on top of the structure.

Critics have questioned how Crooks was able to position himself so close to Trump despite the presence of local police and Secret Service agents.

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The shooter got off several rounds before being shot dead on top of the roof.

Law enforcement officials also said Tuesday that a remote transmitter was discovered inside Crooks' pocket and that it was set up to detonate devices in his car and home, according to the report.

The makeshift bombs never exploded, and officials continue to assess their purpose and capacity for damage.

Crooks also had a tactical vest in his car but did not put it on prior to climbing on top of the roof.

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Prior to carrying out the attempted assassination, Crooks asked for the day off from work Saturday and told his employer that he would be back Sunday, the report said.

Despite that pledge, some officials have speculated that Crooks did not expect to survive the operation that ended with his death.

Crooks' phone and social media activity have both been vetted, but authorities said they have not been able to pinpoint a motive for the attack.

Crooks, who was reportedly bullied in high school, was a registered Republican but donated to a progressive political group as recently as 2021.

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Trump grabbed the side of his head after one of Crooks' bullets grazed his ear as shocked rally goers looked on.

Volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was hit during the chaos and later died.

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle told ABC News that local police were responsible for securing the building Crooks scaled and were inside when he fired.

"In this particular instance, we did share support for that particular site and that the Secret Service was responsible for the inner perimeter," Cheatle said. "And then we sought assistance from our local counterparts for the outer perimeter."

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The Pennsylvania State Police said it "was not responsible for securing the building or property," asserting that it had up to 40 officers at the scene.