Trump tells RNC 'I am not supposed to be here' following Pennsylvania rally assassination attempt

A Pittsburgh man who witnessed the assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pa., last weekend recounted his amazement to Fox News Digital in watching the crowd erupt in cheers after the GOP nominee mouthed "Fight!" and fist-pumped moments after being shot.

Bob Crankovic said he was sitting behind Trump just off his right shoulder when the rally began.

Several minutes into the rally, Thomas Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa., attempted to kill Trump, but shot him in the ear after the former president turned at the last moment to explain a border policy graphic.

Crankovic, who has been active in local Republican circles since 2016, said it was approximately his fourth Trump rally, and that Saturday's started just as the others had – with rallygoers bedecked in red hats and American flag-themed regalia.

However, after shots rang out, Crankovic saw Trump dropping and being smothered by Secret Service agents. What happened next was similarly shocking, he said.

"As soon as unfortunately the shots went out what happened was that I immediately ducked for cover," he said. "By the time I happened to look up at the president, roughly around the second or third shot, he was already covered up," he said.

"So it was tough to watch. But, I mean, as soon as the president got up, everybody was absolutely screaming their head off for the president in support."

Fox News' Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

There are now two working theories on how Thomas Crooks got a DPMS AR-15 rifle onto the roof of the AGR building in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday without being noticed prior to an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, who's now the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.

According to a federal law enforcement source briefed on the investigation, Crooks either hid his father’s rifle near the AC unit he used to climb up onto the roof of the AGR building, or he had it in the backpack he was spotted with, along with the golf range finder.

However, this source said hiding the rifle in his backpack would require a significant amount of disassembling and reassembling the rifle, and that the more likely scenario is that Crooks hid the rifle behind the AC unit.

Fox News has reported that Crooks bought a ladder and ammunition on the morning of the rally. However, federal law enforcement sources say that no ladder was found on site, and the working theory is that Crooks grabbed the rifle, climbed upon the AC unit and then climbed onto the roof.

We now also know that the unit inside that building was a Butler Township Emergency Services Unit sniper team who was doing "overwatch" on the event. This team was looking out of the windows of the building at the event, watching for any suspicious activity, while Crooks snuck up on the roof above them.

Fox News can also report that the Secret Service Counter Sniper who killed Crooks took only one shot.

Fox News' Jake Gibson and David Spunt contributed to this report.

Dr. Ben Carson said Friday that former President Trump believes he has been given another opportunity to "do something great" following the assassination against him last week.

Carson made the comments during an appearance on Fox News' "The Story with Martha MacCallum."

He said the former president's speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday had a "great theme of unity" in the wake of the shooting last week at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where gunman Thomas Mathew Crooks opened fire, killing one spectator and injuring several other, including Trump, who suffered injuries to his ear.

The shooter who attempted to assassinate former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday flew a drone over the event grounds earlier that day, according to reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported that law-enforcement officials briefed on the matter said 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks flew a drone to conduct reconnaissance at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds before Trump took the stage.

In fact, Crooks reportedly flew the drone on a programmed flight path to the grounds on July 13, and officials said the path suggests the shooter flew the drone to the site more than one time ahead of the event.

Crooks’ use of the drone is just another way investigators have learned he planned his attack on Trump.

A source told Fox News Digital that the FBI is looking at a drone linked to the shooting investigation, but pushed back on the specifics of The Wall Street Journal's reporting.

The FBI declined to comment to Fox News Digital.

The shot that killed the man who attempted to assassinate former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday was a “one in a million shot,” according to a source familiar with the investigation into shooting.

Fox News learned from the source the kill shot was a single shot taken by a Secret Service counter sniper whose view was obscured.

The local tactical team also took a shot on the would-be assassin, but missed.

The Secret Service sniper who took the shot that killed 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks could only see Crooks’ gun scope and the top of his eye and forehead because the lip of the roof was blocking the sniper’s view.

The source described the shot to Fox as a “one in a million shot.”

Fox News’ Bryan Llenas contributed to this report.

The two surviving men who sustained wounds when a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday are now listed in serious, but stable condition, according to hospital officials.

The survivors, 74-year-old James "Jim" Copenhaver of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, and 57-year-old David Dutch of New Kensington, Pennsylvania were at a rally in Butler when a gunman opened fire on former President Trump, grazing his ear.

On Friday, officials at the hospital Copenhaver and Dutch were being treated at, released a statement.

“Both patients remain in serious but stable condition at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh,” the statement read.

During Saturday’s heinous act, Corey Comperatore of Buffalo, Pennsylvania was shot and killed as he shielded his family from the bullets.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents were on the ground at a rally for former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, where a gunman attempted to assassinate the presidential candidate.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Fox that HSI routinely supports partner agencies inside and outside of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a wide range of missions.

Many of the missions, the spokesperson said, keep the American public safe from national security threats.

The rally in Butler was no different, and the spokesperson confirmed HSI agents were there to support the U.S. Secret Service.

Fox News’ Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.

The staffing and planning of the failed security detail that led to a gunman gaining a clear site of former President Trump and nearly assassinating him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania was directed by the Secret Service, according to a federal law enforcement source with knowledge of the plan.

The source told Fox News that 22 Secret Service agents, including the advance team, assault team and sniper teams, were staffed for the event, along with 16 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. No Secret Service drones were in the air during the event.

The Secret Service did not request tactical support from HSI, the source noted, and HSI agents were assigned to “post standing” duties only at the media pen and street entrance.

The HSI agents were tasked with keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious in their areas. The were not responsible for the area around Trump or the buildings around the exterior of the rally, where the shooter was ultimately shot and killed, the source explained.

All planning and staffing of the event was directed by the Secret Service, who reportedly told HSI and local law enforcement officials where they needed bodies.

The source said the Secret Service oversaw the entire security plan.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Former President Trump posted to Truth Social on Friday that he had a very good call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who not only congratulated the presidential candidate on a successful Republican National Convention, but also condemned the “heinous” assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday.

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and I had a very good phone call earlier today. He congratulated me on a very successful Republican National Convention and becoming the Republican nominee for President of the United States," Trump wrote. "He condemned the heinous assassination attempt last Saturday and remarked about the American people coming together in the spirit of Unity during these times. I appreciate President Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families. Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity.”

The Secret Service denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from America First Legal, which was seeking information on the security failure that led to the attempted assassination of former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday.

“Biden’s Secret Service is delaying the processing of a FOIA we filed following the assassination attempt of President Trump,” the organization wrote in a post on X.

America First Legal said the agency denied the request because there is not, “any threat to the life or safety of anyone” or “any urgency to inform the public about gov’t activity.”

The group shared an image of the denial with the post.

“Please be advised, your request has been denied because you do not qualify under either category. You have not demonstrated that there is a threat to the life or physical safety of an individual nor have you demonstrated there is a particular urgency to inform the public about the government activity involved in the request, beyond the public’s right to know about government activity, generally,” the response read. “Your letter was conclusory, in nature, and did not present any facts to justify a grant of expedited processing under the applicable standards.”

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., subpoenaed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for documents and information on a failed security detail that led to a man nearly assassinating former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday.

In a letter dated July 14, Green requested documents and information on the DHS’s planning for Trump’s July 13 rally.

Green issued the subpoena after DHS failed to respond and comply with his committee’s requests for documents and information by Friday’s deadline.

“The Department of Homeland Security has failed to properly satisfy our requests for documents and information regarding the security efforts to prevent and respond to the assassination attempt on President Trump––and the piecemeal information it has provided over phone calls is woefully inadequate,” Green wrote. “In order for this Committee to conduct proper oversight over DHS and the U.S. Secret Service, the department and agency must cooperate.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

Musician Billy Ray Cyrus and hundreds of other people gathered in rural Pennsylvania to honor local hero Corey Comperatore on Friday, who died while shielding his family from flying bullets while a man attempted to assassinate former President Trump in Butler on Saturday.

Comperatore served 10 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, served as the chief of the Buffalo Volunteer Fire Department in Pennsylvania in the early 2000s, and was a churchgoing, loving father and husband.

Musician Cyrus, who's always been passionate about honoring troops and first responders, was seen shaking hands with law enforcement members at Comperatore's service, where he joined the family and performed.

People reported that Cyrus sang "Amazing Grace," along with his 1992 song, "Some Gave All."

A procession of law enforcement at virtually every level, from local police to federal agents, firefighters from all over the area, EMS and military personnel drove to the funeral.

Residents waved flags. Some were clearly emotional as they wiped away tears.

Fox News’ Audrey Conklin and Chris Eberhart contributed to this report.

FBI STATEMENT:

"The allegations circulating on social media about an FBI executive and the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania are categorically false. To be clear, the person depicted is not her and she did not attend the rally. The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly and selflessly to protect others every day, and false rumors and conspiracy theories targeting these dedicated public servants are reprehensible and irresponsible. They are also dangerous and often lead to threats against them and their families. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable anyone who makes violent threats against them or any of our colleagues in law enforcement.”

Former Secret Service agent Frank Loveridge weighed in on the investigation into how a gunman was able to access a roof to get a clear line of sight of former President Trump before opening fire, saying “we didn’t win on July 13.”

Loveridge was a guest on Fox News’ “America Reports” on Friday, when he said it has been over 40 years since a president has been shot.

But when asked about what happened at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday, Loveridge emphasized the importance of the investigation.

“We have to win every day and we didn’t win on July 13 and we have to find out why,” Loveridge said.

He continued, saying the building was not missed when the plans were reviewed by an agent, a couple of supervisors and then put out as a document.

“I don’t think anyone would have missed that,” Loveridge said. “What I’m thinking is that the execution phase was where we had a problem. Was everyone where they were supposed to be when this event occurred? That is the question.”

Loveridge went on to say he has been critical of the Secret Service to be more transparent, noting the agency does not have to be granular, but can still put information out to reduce speculation.

Still, he suggested the public give Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle time to defend herself before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, saying, “Let’s see what Kim has to say on Monday.”

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has lauded former President Trump’s reaction to being shot at a rally on Saturday, labeling the Republican presidential nominee as a "bada--" after he got to his feet and clenched his fist immediately after the assassination attempt.

Zuckerberg, 40, who has often faced the ire of the 45th President over how he operates Facebook and Instagram, said Trump’s resoluteness after coming so close to death helps explain his appeal to voters.

"Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most bada-- things I’ve ever seen in my life," Zuckerberg said Thursday during an interview at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, according to Bloomberg.

"On some level as an American, it’s, like, hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that that’s why a lot of people like the guy."

Read more about the Facebook CEO’s take on the upcoming election.

FOX Business’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

A photo has captured firefighters carrying the casket of Corey Comperatore during his private funeral Friday, nearly a week after he was shot and killed at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of people have lined a rural area of the state waving American flags to honor Comperatore. A funeral procession is underway.

The former Buffalo Township fire chief shielded his family from gunfire when a shooter opened fire during the Trump campaign event.

Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.

Former Department of Defense counterterrorism analyst Kara Frederick said on the 'The Faulkner Focus' Friday that the House hearing next week with the Secret Service’s director  “should give us a lot of answers” surrounding the investigation of Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks. 

The House Oversight Committe is set to question Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday. 

The hearing comes after Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., said members of Congress were told this week that Crooks had three encrypted accounts on overseas platforms.  

“As something I did for almost ten years with the government and then with a big tech company, what you do is you can extract data from these platforms,” Frederick said. “You can figure out who were these platforms that he was supposedly using – even if they were encrypted – who was he talking to, what are his IP addresses, can you geolocate him to those physical locations... was he using aliases?” 

“There are people who are in the government – even who are outside of the government – who can work to exploit that information that those accounts would convey,” she added. 

CABOT, Pa. – Hundreds of people lined a rural area of Pennsylvania waving American flags to honor local hero Corey Comperatore on Friday. 

The former Buffalo Township fire chief shielded his family from gunfire when a shooter opened fire during a Saturday rally for former President Trump in Butler. 

"Get down," were reportedly his last words. Comperatore, 50, lost his life that day. 

His daughter called her dad a "true hero," and the massive crowds who showed up to pay their respects gave him a lionheart's farewell. 

A procession of law enforcement at virtually every level, from local police to federal agents, firefighters from all over the area, EMS and military personnel drove through the streets of rural Pennsylvania. 

Residents waved flags. Some were clearly emotional as they wiped away tears.

There was a strong security presence for the private ceremony. He leaves behind his wife, Helen, and two daughters. 

Fox News' Chris Eberhart contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the assassination attempt against former President Trump last weekend was an “attack on our democracy.” 

“I think many of our friends and partners share the horror that I think every American felt... at the attempted assassination, at the killing of an incredible family man who lost his life trying to protect his family,” Blinken said at the Aspen Security Forum. “And for Americans, you know, we say that political violence is unacceptable. And of course, it is. But it's also been a thread in our history, as everyone knows all too well, and something that each and every time you hope is the last time, that we see it.” 

“But, for me, going around the world and talking to people about this, I think the greatest strength that we bring to a crisis of this kind, to an attack on our democracy at home, even to the divisions that we have at home, which are real, which are profound, is the way we approach them is what we actually do in response,” Blinken added. “And the hallmark of this country heretofore has always been to confront our challenges, to confront our differences openly, transparently, not to pretend they don't exist, not to sweep them under the rug.” 

Fox News' Nicholas Kalman contributed to this report.