PITTSBURGH – The Butler Farm Show board of directors informed Fox News on Tuesday that the location where former President Trump hosted his July 13 rally in Western Pennsylvania is no longer an active crime scene.
The forthcoming event, one of the county’s most significant and awaited annual happenings, is set to be held from Aug. 5 to Aug. 10.
“Currently, the Butler Farm Show grounds are not part of an active crime scene, and the FBI has released the grounds,” the board of directors stated to Fox News roughly two and a half weeks after the assassination attempt.
The board also conveyed to Fox News that it will not allow news media outlets on the grounds as they finalize preparations for the Butler Farm Show.
TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
The Butler Farm Show grounds were getting ready for the county’s annual fair approximately two weeks after the shooting. (Sarah Rumpf-Whitten/Fox News Digital)
“[W]e are actively ensuring that everything is set for a successful event, and we want to focus completely on these preparations,” the board declared in a statement. “We deeply appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this situation.”
Following the shooting that resulted in the death of 50-year-old Corey Comperatore and left two others — James Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 57 — critically injured, U.S. Secret Service and FBI officials detailed how gunman Thomas Crooks managed to reach the roof of a building approximately 150 yards from where the former President spoke at the rally.
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: TEXTS REVEAL OFFICERS WERE AWARE OF THOMAS CROOKS 90 MINUTES BEFORE SHOOTING
The Butler Farm Show, the venue for a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Trump, is pictured on July 15, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was injured on July 13 during an assassination attempt while speaking at the rally. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
On Monday morning, the FBI informed reporters during a conference call that Crooks accessed the roof of a building owned by American Glass Research (AGR) near Trump’s rally using HVAC equipment and piping.
Crooks then traversed rooftops until he reached his shooting position atop the AGR building, located near the fairgrounds, approximately 150 yards from where the former President spoke at his rally. He was equipped with a collapsible AR-15 and a rangefinder at that time.
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On the day of the rally, Crooks parked his vehicle and operated a drone between approximately 3:50 p.m. and 4 p.m., about 200 yards from where the former President was scheduled to speak on July 13.
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: FBI SAYS GUNMAN CLIMBED HVAC, TRAVERSED ROOFTOPS TO SHOOTING PERCH
FBI Director Christopher Wray testified during a July 17 congressional hearing that Crooks had arrived at the rally site about 70 minutes before the assassination attempt.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers visited the site where former President Trump faced an assassination attempt that resulted in one death and two injuries during a campaign rally on July 13. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
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It has also been revealed that Crooks managed to elude security despite being recognized by law enforcement roughly 90 minutes prior to the gunfire.
It remains unclear why Trump was permitted to take the stage and proceed with the rally despite law enforcement flagging a suspicious individual, but the FBI indicated that over 300 agents and staff are working “around the clock” to gather information and establish a clearer timeline of Crooks’ actions.
