When authorities first noticed Crooks carrying a golf range finder on Saturday, he was considered a “person of interest” but not a “threat,” according to officials on Thursday.
Range finders were not prohibited at rally events at that time, but authorities are expected to review and potentially update the list of banned items. He was deemed a threat only when he was seen with a weapon.
The Secret Service reported that there were four counter-sniper teams at the rally—two from the agency and two from local law enforcement. Of these teams, two opened fire: one from local law enforcement and one from the Secret Service. A federal sharpshooter killed the gunman seconds after the shooting began.
Crooks fired an AR-15 from a rooftop, hitting at least four people. Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old father of two, was killed, while David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, were seriously wounded.
Authorities have spent much of the week assigning blame for the security lapses at the AGR building from where Crooks fired.
Trump stated he was shot in the right ear, with photos showing him getting back on his feet with blood on the right side of his head after taking cover. He later appeared at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a bandage on his ear.
Wake services for Comperatore were scheduled for Thursday, with a private burial ceremony on Friday.
Hospital officials reported that the other victims’ conditions had been upgraded from critical to serious but stable.
