Gunshots were fired at former President Trump at 6:11pm on July 13, and testimony before Congress has indicated law enforcement initially became aware of the shooter's presence about an hour before that. The timeline has now been pushed earlier. Text messages show a member of a local SWAT team that was backing up the Secret Service messaged colleagues at 4:19pm as his shift was ending, saying "Guys I am out. Be safe." The New York Times reports the countersniper then left his second-floor position at a warehouse adjacent to the rally site and spotted a young man—later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks—sitting at a nearby picnic table. At 4:26pm, he sent follow-up texts to two colleagues who remained inside the warehouse:
- "Someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know."
- "I'm just letting you know because you see me go out with my rifle and put it in my car so he knows you guys are up there he's sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit."
By 5:10pm, Crooks had left the picnic table and was below the countersnipers, one of whom snapped photos of him that were shared in a group chat at 5:38pm. "Kid learning around building we are in. AGR I believe it is. I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him." In the Times' view, the texts collectively "provide the most detailed picture yet of the hours before the assassination attempt ... [and] add to the evidence that the would-be assassin was often one step ahead of security forces, and in particular the Secret Service."
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ABC News interviewed the Beaver County SWAT team, and lead sharpshooter Jason Woods tells the network that while the Secret Service had solicited security help from local agencies, communication was lacking. "We were supposed to get a face-to-face briefing with the Secret Service members whenever they arrived, and that never happened," Woods said. "So I think that was probably a pivotal point, where I started thinking things were wrong because it never happened. We had no communication." (More Trump rally shooting stories.)
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