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Tree may have blocked sniper team’s view of Trump rally gunman, map shows

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A tree may have prevented one of the sniper teams tasked with protecting former President Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania campaign rally from clearly seeing the would-be assassin as he climbed on a roof and opened fire, according to a CBS News analysis of video and satellite imagery.

The tree, located between the shooter and the sniper team closest to him, may have impaired the team’s line of sight as the gunman climbed onto the roof from where he fired multiple rounds. That sniper team, which was positioned on a roof over Trump’s right shoulder, did not fire the shot that killed the gunman, two federal law enforcement officials told CBS News.

A U.S. Secret Service sniper stationed in a building behind the former president fired one round, killing the gunman, according to multiple law enforcement officials. Two federal law enforcement officers told CBS News the Secret Service team that ultimately killed the shooter was located on a building behind Trump’s left shoulder — with a view that was not blocked by the tree, the CBS analysis shows. That team was initially directed to go another way, so the snipers had to reorient themselves before taking down the gunman, CBS News’ Charlie de Mar reported.

Map shows location of the shooting site at Trump rally
A map showing a tree possibly blocking the line of sight of a sniper team at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Google Earth/CBS News


The motive of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks remains a mystery four days after the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — during which Trump and two others were injured and a rallygoer was killed. A federal law enforcement bulletin obtained by CBS News identified the gunman as “an apparent lone attacker” and the FBI is investigating whether he was a politically motivated homegrown domestic violent extremist.

Minutes before the assassination attempt, a sniper from a local tactical team took a photo of the gunman and saw him looking through a rangefinder, a local law enforcement officer with direct knowledge of the events told CBS News.  Cellphone video taken Saturday shows rally attendees pointing toward the shooter and trying to alert authorities to his presence — a full two minutes before the 20-year-old opened fire.

The U.S. Secret Service is facing mounting questions about the security flaws that allowed the shooter to fire from a rooftop near the rally. Meanwhile, House Republicans are ramping up efforts to investigate the attempted assassination.

President Biden said earlier this week that he is directing an independent review of security and events at the rally to determine what went wrong, while the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is opening an investigation into the rally’s planning.

Eric Trump, the former president’s son, told CBS News his father doesn’t have stitches after he was shot, but has a “nice flesh wound.” He said his father’s hearing is fine and that he is “in great spirits.”

With reporting from Erielle Delzer, Alex Clark, Rhona Tarrant and Kaia Hubbard



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How immigration became a key 2024 election issue for Trump, Harris

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How immigration became a key 2024 election issue for Trump, Harris – CBS News


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Immigration and security at the U.S.-Mexico border have remained pivotal voting issues for many Americans participating in the 2024 elections. CBS News’ Camilo Montoya-Galvez breaks down how voters in border towns feel as Election Day continues.

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How Latino voters could impact Election Day 2024 results

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How Latino voters could impact Election Day 2024 results – CBS News


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Latino and other minority voters could help flip certain battleground states that are vital for both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Soledad O’Brien and Ed O’Keefe break down the key voter demographics.

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City of Milwaukee recounting some ballots, Wisconsin officials say

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City of Milwaukee recounting some ballots, Wisconsin officials say – CBS News


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Officials in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, say they are restarting the count of around 31,000 ballots due to a closing seal issue in one of the voting machines. The recount could delay the state’s results. CBS News’ Janet Shamlian reports.

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