Trump shooting: new video shows police alerted almost 2 minutes before gunman opened fire | BBC News

BBC Verify has analysed video which shows the police were warned of the threat to Donald Trump almost two minutes before Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on him from the roof of a building at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Mr Trump narrowly survived the assassination attempt, after the gunman accessed a roof around 130 meters from the podium where the former president and Republican candidate was speaking.

It’s the job of the US Secret Service to protect sitting and former presidents. Somehow the gunman managed to breach the security perimeter with a rifle and reach an elevated position close to Mr Trump.

Video of the attack shows that members of the crowd alerted police to the threat from the gunman at least 1 minute 45 seconds before he opened fire.

Firearms officers appear to have only reacted to the threat once Thomas Crooks began shooting, at which point he was shot dead by snipers on the roof of another building.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Ros Atkins and Frank Gardner.