According to AP News, Thomas Crooks, the shooter attempted to assassinate former US president Trump in July 13, 2024, flew a drone over the rally site mere hours before the event begun. This allowed the shooter to obtain aerial footage before carrying out the shooting.
Source: AP News Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks flew drone over site | AP News
A law enforecement official disclosed that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman attempted to assassinate the former US president Trump, flew a drone over the rally site just a few hours before the rally begun. The drone was recovered by law enforcement agency shortly after the shooting happened.
The official, on ground of anonymity, further disclosed that the drone found in Crooks' vehicle contain several flight records around Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, timestamped few hours before the rally begun. Combined with the record that Thomas Crooks registered for the event and was at rally site a few days before the rally evnet, it is safe to assume that Crooks planned out the sniping vantage point days ahead of time, and used his drone to finalize his assassination plan. This use of drone in assassination attempt is a stark reminder that small UAV can do much more harm than what their appearance suggests. Whether it be direct dropping of hazardous payload or real-time aerial reconnaissance assistance, small UAVs have put in hands of millions, if not billions, of people posibilities previously only affordable by the professional armies of the great powers.
