Comments
@peterhenderson3694
Why was all the equipment removed from the scene before a thorough after action review. Surveyor’s should have been called in to shoot elevations, they needed to recreate sights and sounds and bullet trajectories before anything was removed from the site. This was not just a candidate running for office it is a former president and I do not see an adequate investigation happening from our government.
JeffWilliams-kw6re
So, lifelong shooter, 15 yrs in LE, 10 years as a firearms instructor and armorer. My interpretation of the audio, based on my experience, is this.
First three rounds – supersonic rounds fired from close to the camera, not through a suppressor, and through some type of semiautomatic rifle. You’re hearing the full report of the rifle combined with sound from the action (operating system) of the rifle, then the crack (breaking sound barrier) of the bullet. [from the footage of Trump at the microphone, you hear the crack, then the report]
Next five rounds – these are pistol rounds, or at least not supersonic rounds, fired from close to the camera and not suppressed. These rounds have to be subsonic because you only hear the report and no crack of the bullet and not suppressed because you hear the full report. [When I say full report, I mean the unsuppressed report of a firearm that is readily identifiable to almost everyone.]
Last round – this is a supersonic round fired at a distance from the camera, and is suppressed. A high powered rifle round, like a .300 Winchester Magnum round, fired through a bolt action rifle (in which all of the muzzle gas that causes the report must pass through the suppressor and none of the gas causes the action to move) will still have some report, but it will be significantly less than an unsuppressed rifle, and will still have the crack of the bullet. Depending on the distance from the muzzle, separating the report from the crack through a suppressor can be difficult and deceptive as to location of the rifle.
The USSS Counter Sniper Teams on video are armed with Suppressed Accuracy International AW Sniper systems that are probably .300 Win Mag or .338 magnum caliber.
It is also possible that the supersonic wavefront of the bullet never passed the camera (since the bullet was stopped by Crooke) and was therefore less distinct than it would’ve been had the bullet passed by the camera. [The crack is still occurring of course, but unless the bullet passes you, it is easier to lose the crack in the report of the rifle since they’re coming from the same direction relative to the observer.]
My interpretation is 3 rounds from Crooke, 5 rounds from someone, probably a LE officer or agent engaging Crooke, then the Single Round from USSS ending Crooke.
If a second shooter, hostile to President Trump, were present, why didn’t he engage Trump after the “we’re clear, shooter down” call was made. He had ample opportunity with Trump’s head visible from 360 degrees while he was exiting the stage and looking around at the crowd. And even if Trump wasn’t visible from 360, a rifle, chambered in 5.56mm has plenty of energy at less than 200 meters to at least try to penetrate through a Secret Service Agent into the President. No such effort was made.
There is, of course, body armor rated to stop these rounds, but it is obvious when worn (for example the three agents with rifles who charged onto the stage) and there was no evidence of Trump or the plain clothes detail members wearing such armor.
Human nature is human nature. If a second shooter was present, and as committed as Crooke to fire at the President, why didn’t he? Again, there was ample opportunity anytime between Trump taking the stage and Trump entering his vehicle. In fact, that would’ve been an almost textbook offset ambush in which one element engages, draws all attention and fire, then the second element engages during the chaos.
I make no judgement here on any conspiracy that may exist involving elements of the government. Such a conspiracy could, of course, change the dynamic of engaging after USSS agents are in the line of fire.
I do believe, however, that an event like this is all or nothing: it is only successful if you follow through completely or never even attempt it.
🇺🇸
