Police spotted gunman but retreated moments before he took a shot at Trump

The 20-year-old who carried out an assassination attempt on Donald Trump had earlier pointed his gun at a local police officer before firing at the former president on Saturday, CNN reported.

The Butler Township police department had received calls about a suspicious person on the perimeter of the rally, but none indicated that the person had a gun, sources told CNN.

After locating the suspicious person on the roof, one local officer hoisted another onto the ledge of the roof. The gunman saw the officer, pointed a semi-automatic rifle at him and the officer retreated to “take cover.”

Moments later, the gunman fired several rounds from the rooftop and Trump was rushed off stage with a bloody ear. Secret Service agents killed the gunman at the scene.

“This is being investigated and obviously at the end of the day, we’re going to learn something from it,” Butler County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe told CNN.

He added that agencies were not aware of any potential threats before the rally but local law enforcement did meet with the U.S. Secret Service, bomb squads and state police a week before the July 13 event to discuss “roles and responsibilities.”

The gunman who fired the shots has been identified as 20-year-old Thoman Matthew Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and a registered Republican voter.

Trump, who is set to attend the Republican National Convention on Monday, posted to TruthSocial following the attack: “In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win.”