A video shared on social media Saturday shows a live BBC News interview with a witness, who said he tried to warn police prior to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. He also claimed the Secret Service “blew his head off,” referring to the shooter.
Shots were fired Saturday evening at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, leading to Trump sustaining a wound around his right ear. During a live interview with BBC News following the incident, one eyewitness claimed he and his friends saw the shooter and tried to warn police.
The man claimed he and his friends “noticed a guy crawling” army-style “up the roof of the building” next to them minutes after Trump began speaking. “He had a rifle,” the man told the BBC. “We could clearly see he had a rifle.” He said police responded with confusion and an apparent lack of awareness about what was happening.
this BBC interview with a guy outside the security perimeter who claims he saw the shooter before he fired is absolutely wild pic.twitter.com/vJpKZTxSAe
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 13, 2024
“They didn’t know what was going on,” he continued. “We’re like, ‘hey, right here on the roof, we can see him from right here! We can see him.” The man then apparently asked himself, “why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off the stage?” (RELATED: A Bloodied Trump Stands Tall, Appears To Shout, ‘FIGHT’ After Apparent Assassination Attempt)
He then alleged security personnel did nothing for several minutes as the shooter got into position. “Next thing you know, five shots rang out,” the man claimed.
Law enforcement and Secret Service were apparently on the opposite side of the roof to where the shooter was crawling, which was pitched away from their line of sight, the man said. BBC News asked what happened to the shooter, and if the man saw anything. (RELATED: ‘Take Out Trump’: Left-Wingers Fantasize About Biden Having ‘Immunity’ To Assassinate Trump, SCOTUS Justices)
“Oh yeah, they blew his head off,” the man replied. Following the death of the alleged shooter, Secret Service “crawled up on the roof, they had their guns pointed at him” to make sure he was dead, “and that was it, it was over.”
His campaign confirmed Trump was “fine” following the incident. As he was whisked off stage by Secret Service, Trump could be seen shouting “FIGHT!” to his supporters.