During a recent panel discussion organized by the Heritage Foundation, Ben Shaffer, a Washington Regional SWAT counter-sniper, expressed substantial apprehension about the FBI’s handling of evidence after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13th.
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Shaffer’s remarks contribute to the increasing worry regarding the thoroughness of the inquiry into the event involving shooter Thomas Matthew Crook, who discharged a weapon from a building in close proximity.
In the conversation, Shaffer verified that the roof of the AGR International building, where Crook was situated, was cleared shortly after the event.
He echoed concerns expressed by Republican legislators, such as Rep. Cory Mills of Florida, about the swift cleanup possibly impeding evidence collection.
Mills raised doubts about the need to clean a roof that was supposedly too steep for counter-sniper operations but not for tampering with evidence.
“Do you find it odd that literally only days after the attempted assassination… that it wasn’t too sloped of a roof for the FBI to go ahead and tamper, in my opinion, with evidence by washing the roof off that may have had significant evidence on it?” asked Mills, to which Shaffer replied affirmatively.
Further issues were raised regarding the handling of Crook’s body, which was released and cremated before an official autopsy could be conducted—a move that Shaffer found odd, especially since the responsible coroner reportedly had no knowledge of the body’s release.
Echoing Shaffer’s concerns, Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL and founder of Blackwater, remarked, “It sounds like destruction of evidence.”
Ben Shaffer, a SWAT counter sniper protecting Donald Trump during the J13 assassination attempt, says the Secret Service declined radios from local law enforcement and didn’t station anyone in the communication center.
Instead, they asked local law enforcement to relay… pic.twitter.com/uZQh7TSJjC
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) August 26, 2024
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), a former police officer and member of the House select task force investigating the assassination attempt, further emphasized this sentiment.
In a report, Higgins pointed out that the FBI approved the cremation of Crook’s body just 10 days after the incident, without explicit permission from the Butler County coroner, a move he deemed concerning.
“The problem with me not being able to examine the actual body is that I won’t know 100 percent if the coroner’s report and the autopsy report are accurate,” Higgins stated, expressing doubt about ever confirming the reports’ reliability.
The FBI has firmly denied any allegations of wrongdoing, stating, “Any suggestion the FBI is interfering with congressional efforts to look into the attempted assassination which took place in Butler, Pennsylvania is inaccurate and unfounded.”
The bureau maintains that it has followed standard procedures in handling the crime scene and cooperating with local law enforcement and the coroner’s office.
The incident has prompted a wider investigation by Congress, with several members visiting the site to gain a better understanding of the security breaches that occurred.
Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) remarked on the building’s proximity to the rally stage, highlighting that the visit raised additional questions about the security measures in place that day.
Chairman Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) is leading the task force’s ongoing investigation and has emphasized the need for patience and caution in drawing conclusions about the events and actions of those involved.
As the investigation progresses, the implications of these events continue to raise significant concerns regarding both the safety of public figures and trust in institutions responsible for protecting them.
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