During a recent congressional hearing, a new theory regarding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in July was proposed by a Republican lawmaker.
A controversial ‘second bullet’ theory was discussed in a congressional hearing on September 26, 2024, spotlighting the events surrounding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, Daily Mail reported.
The assassination attempt on Trump took place on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. The assailant, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was reportedly neutralized by law enforcement during the incident.
During the intense scrutiny of the chaotic moments of the assassination attempt, Rep. Clay Higgins proposed that more than one bullet might have struck Crooks. He introduced this theory during the oversight hearing aimed at evaluating the performance of the U.S. Secret Service and the local law enforcement’s response.
Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt, the medical examiner, confirmed at the hearing that a bullet wound to the head killed Crooks. The medical examiner’s findings revealed that the lethal shot entered just above Crooks’s upper lip, causing fatal damage.
Further complicating the narrative, Higgins questioned whether a stray bullet might have struck other parts of Crooks’s body. Some officials testified that an Emergency Services Unit (ESU) sniper had engaged Crooks before the fatal shot, suggesting the possibility of multiple impacts.
Congressional testimony clarified the fatal sequence, identifying the tenth gunshot at the scene as the one that ended Crooks’s threat. The complexities of the shootout raised questions about the exact dynamics of the shots fired and their impact on Crooks.
Amid these discussions, the FBI took Crooks’s broken-down rifle and recovered a backpack at the scene. They conducted a thorough forensic examination of these items to understand the sequence of events leading to the attempt on Trump’s life.
Autopsy reports played a crucial role in discussing Crooks’s injuries. On July 14, the day after the incident, the autopsy concluded that a high-velocity gunshot wound to the head caused his death.
Multiple law enforcement officers testified at the hearing, highlighting significant coordination issues during the incident. Critics accused the U.S. Secret Service of failing to provide adequate guidance, which some said contributed to the chaotic response.
The congressional panel focused on these coordination challenges to identify lapses and explore potential improvements in the operational protocols of the law enforcement agencies involved.
Rep. Higgins added another layer of controversy by raising concerns about the handling of Crooks's body post-mortem. He noted that on August 5, he inspected Crooks’s body and discovered discrepancies in the handling procedure, particularly regarding the FBI authorizing the body’s cremation instead of the local coroner.
This revelation raised questions about procedural adherence and transparency following such critical incidents.
The hearing ended with mixed emotions and many unanswered questions. The debate over the 'second bullet' and the specifics of Crooks’s shooting opened new avenues for inquiry, which the congressional panel agreed to continue investigating. The follow-up investigations and hearings will likely focus on continuity in forensic analysis, coordination between law enforcement, and procedural clarity in incident management.
