i don’t know how familiar you are with my work. but I rarely make assumptions or speculations. I’m primarily interested in analyzing the evidence available, and whenever possible seek a second or third form of corroborating evidence.
So, for those on this forum who might fall for your critique of my inference that the bulge in his pocket is most likely a rangefinder, based on available evidence, below are three forms of evidence that attest to Crooks having a rangefinder. I challenge you to do the same. Provide at least 3 different forms of evidence that describes Crooks being in possession of a different object, one that has a similar shape as the bulge in his pocket. I’ll wait.
1. The Beaver County After Action report.
2. Witness testimony.
As reported by ABC:
“Nicol noticed an unattended bike and backpack. And he saw the man looking up and around, then pulling a rangefinder from his pocket. There was no apparent reason to have a distance-gauging device at a political rally featuring the man who, in a few days, would accept his party’s presidential nomination.”
Source: Local SWAT team blames Trump assassination attempt on lack of planning, communication - ABC News
As reported by CNN:
“The officer, Greg Nicol, zoomed in with his binoculars and saw that the skinny young man with long hair and glasses was holding a rangefinder, a device used by shooters to calculate the distance to a target. He had it pointed directly at the stage where Trump was about to speak.”
3. Radio communications stating that a rangefinder was found with Crooks.
As reported by The Washington Post:
“’Just an FYI, we had a younger white male, long hair, lurking around the AGR building,’ a local countersniper said at 5:42 p.m., according to a time-stamped transcript of encrypted radio communications obtained by The Washington Post. ‘He was viewed with a range finder sighting the stage. … We lost sight of him.’”
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/08/03/trump-rally-police-radio-transmissions/
As reported by TribLive:
"Amid the din of a helicopter and chatter on the police radio, officers described finding a remote control on Crooks, no more than 6 inches long and powered by a 9-volt battery.
“They’re wanting pictures of it for the bomb squad,” someone said.
An officer described it as looking very similar to a garage door opener, with an extendable antenna and the numbers 1 through 12 on it.
Investigators reported finding home-made explosive devices in Crooks’ vehicle and another in his Bethel Park home.
“He has a range finder and cell phone, as well,” one officer said.
“If that phone starts ringing …” one officer instructed, “call me in case he’s got someone working with him.”
Source: 'A failure on multiple levels': Records reveal security lapses at Trump rally
