Former President Donald Trump received an enthusiastic welcome at the Republican National Convention on Monday, just two days after an assassination attempt grazed his right ear.
As Trump entered the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, a bandage covered his injured ear. The crowd chanted "Fight! Fight! Fight," echoing Trump's own reaction to the incident. He mouthed "Thank you" to his supporters before taking his seat with his children and Senator JD Vance, his newly announced running mate.
The FBI is investigating how an armed individual accessed a rooftop and opened fire on Trump. Before the shooting, police received reports of a suspicious person, and witnesses alerted authorities to an armed man on a nearby roof.
The attack left Trump and two others injured and resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief.
Audio forensic experts from the National Center for Media Forensics at the University of Colorado suggest the possibility of a second shooter. Catalin Grigoras and Cole Whitecotton noted differences in the sound of the shots, indicating multiple weapons. While one shooter has been identified and another was a Secret Service sniper, the third potential shooter remains unknown.
Former deputy undersecretary of defense Stephen Bryen highlighted this controversial analysis, urging further investigation. Initial gunfire came from the identified shooter Thomas Matthew Crook's location, but a second burst was detected from a different spot. Acoustic evidence suggests at least two shooters, excluding the Secret Service.
The exact number of shots fired by Secret Service snipers is unclear, though most reports say it took one shot to neutralize the shooter. This sequence does not fully match the acoustic evidence, which points to a final shot that might have come from the snipers.
A thorough FBI investigation with Congressional oversight is essential to ensure an unbiased review. Strong leadership and oversight are needed to prevent a politically biased outcome.
