A Trump supporter who was injured during the Pennsylvania assassination attempt has spoken out for the first time. David Dutch, a Pennsylvania native and former US Marine, issued a statement via attorneys saying he was grateful for the support he received as he recovers from severe injuries suffered at the hands of would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks. Mr. Dutch was placed in a medically induced coma after undergoing surgery for severe damage to his chest and liver.
Dutch was struck by Crooks’s bullet while positioned behind the stage at the Pennsylvania event, along with 74-year-old James Copenhaver, who was shot twice. Mr. Copenhaver is still recuperating, and both men have retained attorneys to help them navigate a challenging period of their lives.
The statement from 57-year-old David Dutch also praised Donald Trump, saying he does not cower to danger and “continues his fight to make America great again as the most powerful and economically sound country in the world.”
Meanwhile, new footage has emerged from the bodycam of an officer who climbed onto the roof from where Crooks aimed his rifle at the former President. The film shows one officer helping another onto the roof, who sees Mr. Crooks and proceeds to back away and climb down. Around 40 seconds later, the shooter opens fire.
Panic appeared to follow, and the two officers were heard discussing what they saw on the roof, with one saying, “Dude, he turned around on me.” Butler Township Police Department released the footage in response to media requests, initially declining to do so.
In a separate exchange caught on video, Butler police are heard stating that they had advised US Secret Service agents to post an officer on the roof that Crooks fired from. However, this advice went ignored, and the Pennsylvania-native could position himself with a clear view of Donald Trump. How this was allowed to happen was central to post-shooting investigations, and former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was grilled on it by Congress. She conceded that the attempted assassination was a major operational failure and resigned the following day.
