Posted on 07/17/2024 12:46:14 PM PDT by caww
In the days since a gunman tried to assassinate Donald Trump, a township in rural Pennsylvania has received a barrage of hate mail and angry phone calls blaming its officers for failing to keep the former president safe.
Now Butler Township Manager Tom Knights is pushing back. “They couldn’t be more wrong,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
Despite the dozens of local, state and federal law enforcement officers on the scene, Knights said it was four Butler Township officers assigned to traffic duty who bolted from their post and raced to confront the gunman, with one clinging to the roof where the would-be assassin was perched.
“Our officers acted instinctively, did their job, followed the training that they had,” Knights told NBC News.
(((((“He was literally dangling from the edge of a building and took the defensive position he needed to at that time. He couldn’t hold himself up,” Knights said. The officer, who has 10 years of experience in law enforcement, severely injured an ankle in the fall and was in a walking boot, Knights said.))))
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
I almost agree. They most certainly were unwittingly used, for sure.
Those officers were assigned ‘to manage traffic’ at the Butler Farm Show, an outdoor venue..... But they leapt into action when they heard a radio call about a suspicious person on the roof of a nearby building, Knights said. The officers converged on the building, owned by a glass research company, but couldn’t see anybody above, because they were too close.
“So two of the officers went to what appeared to be the lowest point from ground to roof,” Knights said. “One of the officers actually boosted the second officer up high enough for him to grab hold of the roof.”
“When he was able to pull his head up over the roof, he did in fact see an individual on the roof with a weapon,” Knights said.
The gunman pointed his rifle at the officer, who was hanging on the edge of the roof. The officer ducked his head, lost his grip and fell about 8 feet to the ground, Knights said.
The two officers — the one who fell and the one who boosted him up — both got on their radios to report that there was a person on the roof with a weapon.
Trump clearly got assigned the C team.
—
Even after they “beefed up” security because of the Iran threat
“both got on their radios to report that there was a person on the roof with a weapon.”
First communications confirmation I have seen.
Now we need to know who received that communication and what they did with it.
Obviously the SS on stage should be notified immediately and told to move President Trump off the stage.
That should have taken five seconds—maximum.
My feeling as well. Even more proof that this DIE Director should have been fired from day one.
Any time I hear a complaint like the one that came from her lips, it only cements my conviction it was the fault of the person saying “it wasn’t my fault”.
There are exceptions, but this is not one of them.
They weren't there to provide security or monitor the building. The Secret Service appears to have lied. The building and area were unmonitored. As traffic police who reacted to the threat I think they did a recent job.
Will Anna Paulina Luna threaten to have Pepsi lady arrested by the Sergeant of Arms when she defies the subpoena and doesn’t show up next Monday?
Just so you know.....tha officer who hung there was standing on the shoulders of another officer...there was no ladder.
We also need to know what TIME those calls to the SS were made about the gunman on the roof.
We only have one President Trump. One. This is not the time to learn from one’s mistakes.
They ALL failed. They should all get back to being physically fit and learn to use their brains. Learn to listen to civilians.
It’s a miracle President Trump is still with us.
One local officer (counter sniper) who took a shot at assassin, missed according to Secret Service, has been put on office duty until review of incident.
Would you start firing knowing the Secret Service will fire? Unless you have the ‘go’ you better not fire...you'll be the one down.
The shooter fired immediately after saw the officer....he knew he'd been had.
Agree. The shooter had been exposed, was probably in a panic, sweating and had to reposition. That all takes time away from his objective.
I know, the bluster is worthless
The ones behind Trump on the roof?
for his photography class the officers could enjoy jail. Rounds fired in the ground would have alerted/panicked those nearby, but also would have distracted the Secret Service sniper. They alerted the Secret Service, who was in charge, as they should have. And attempted to intervene, but lacking a target which could be indentified, firing "warning shots" would be irresponsible. It's possible the SS sniper could have fired on them.
It was not stated where the counter (local) sniper was stationed.
If they were traffic cops than they more likely than not had no weapon.
They should have reported it BEFORE attempting their “Up you go”....
It was reported....by officers who saw him as suspcious before he was spotted on the roof....’twice’....once when he failed to get admitted to the ‘inside perimeter’ and again when he was seen scoping out the grounds.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.