Three snipers left their post: benny johnson unveils new allegations in trump assassination attempt

BUTLER, Pa. — A recent post by Benny Johnson on social media has brought to light serious allegations of incompetence within the Secret Service and local law enforcement regarding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The incident, which took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, involved a shooter identified as Crooks, who managed to fire shots at Trump from a rooftop.

Johnson’s post includes a video from a second-story window of the AGR building, which overlooks the rooftop where the shooter was positioned. According to Johnson, a Butler County SWAT sniper team, directed by the Secret Service, was stationed in this room to provide overwatch for the Trump rally. Despite having a clear view, the sniper team failed to engage the shooter before he fired.

Breakdown of Events

Team Composition: The sniper team initially consisted of three members.
Team Reduction: One member reportedly went home early, leaving two snipers on duty.
Suspicious Activity: The two remaining snipers were alerted to suspicious activity involving Crooks outside the building.
Investigation Error: One sniper left his post to investigate but found nothing and was subsequently locked out of the building after forgetting his access card.
Abandonment of Post: The last remaining sniper left the overwatch position to assist his locked-out teammate, leaving the sniper nest unmanned.
Shooter’s Action: During this period, Crooks crawled across the roof and fired on Trump without any engagement from the sniper team.

Critical Questions Raised

Command Decisions: Who was in command and allowed such a critical tactical error?
Order to Abandon Post: Who authorized the abandonment of the overwatch position?
Lack of Rooftop Officer: Why was there no officer stationed on the roof to engage Crooks directly?
Optimal Positioning: Why was the water tower, deemed a superior position, not utilized for overwatch?

Call for Investigation

Johnson’s post concludes with a call for a Congressional Select Committee to investigate the handling of the assassination attempt. The serious nature of these allegations demands a thorough review to ensure accountability and prevent future security lapses.

As this story develops, more details are expected to emerge regarding the decisions and actions of the Secret Service and local law enforcement on the day of the incident.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.