(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced that it received four pages of documents from the district attorney’s office in Butler County, PA, detailing the extensive preparation of local police for the rally at which former President Trump was shot.
The preparation included sniper teams, counter assault teams and a quick response force.
On August 9, in response to a separate open records request, Judicial Watch obtained bodycam footage of the July 13 assassination events from the Butler Township Police Department.
Judicial Watch received today’s records in response to a July 26, 2024, Pennsylvania Right To Know Request for:
All records and documents related to President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rally that was held in Butler, PA, on July 13, 2024, including but not limited to:
1) site security plans, risk or threat assessments, designation of security perimeters, plans for responding to suspicious activity or an active threat or attack, memoranda of understanding, or other documents establishing roles and responsibilities of federal agencies and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement partner agencies, and associated chains of command.
2) All audio/video/photographic recordings captured on body-worn cameras or other electronic devices in your possession.
Please provide records from July 1, 2024, to present.
Included with the documents were two photographs of Matthew Crooks, the shooter, who was killed by law enforcement snipers.
On July 9th, at 10:17 p.m., Sgt. Edward Lenz, Adams Township Police Department, Mars, PA, emails Richard Goldinger, with a “cc” To William Mayhugh,, with the subject: “Butler ESU Deployment” Request/ Presidential Rally 7 /13/24”. The email states:
Good evening Rich!
I just want to ensure you have the information and details regarding the request for Butler ESU to assist this Saturday at the presidential candidate rally:
Butler Twp PD and the US Secret Service have requested our assistance at the rally. I have had several discussions with the USSS, and as of today they are requesting assistance from us with providing sniper/ overwatch support, counterassault teams, and a quick reaction force. Our current plan is to provide 2 sniper elements, 2 mobile counterassault teams, and a quick reaction force.
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- The sniper elements would provide overwatch for the rally and would work in conjunction with the secret service counter-sniper unit.
- The counterassault teams would be dedicated teams that would respond to and address an attack directed at the presidential candidate inside of the venue, whether it be a coordinated attack with multiple assailants, or a single attacker.
- The quick response force would be dedicated to respond to and address any high-risk incidents occurring outside of the venue. They would not respond to civil disturbances – this would be handled by uniformed members of PSP. The QRF would assist PSP at the request of incident commander, and upon the approval of the ESU commander.This will be manpower intensive, and Beaver County ESU and Washington County SWAT have agreed to supplement with manpower – Beaver ESU is going to send their armor with 6-8 operators, and Washington County SWAT is going to send a sniper element along with 3-4 operators. The request for assistance will be officially made through Region 13.Our current plan is to rally at 0900 for a briefing, and to be operational by 1100. As long as the timeline doesn’t shift, we should be releasing the assisting agencies by 1830, but I expect Butler ESU to remain operational until a majority of the farm snow grounds has been cleared.We have a law enforcement walkthrough at the farm show Thursday at 1000 , and Bill is coming to that as well I believe.As always, if you have any questions let me know, and I will follow up with more information should anything in our plan change!Stay safe!
Ed
On July 9th, 2014, at 1:18 p.m., Lenz sends an email to Steven Bicehouse, with a “cc” to Kevin Mikulan, with the subject: “Region 13 Tactical Support Request”. The email states:
Good evening Sir!
Butler ESU has been requested to assist Butler Township Police and the US Secret Service at the presidential rally this Saturday, July 13 2024. Throughout my discussions with the USSS, they have requested we provide sniper teams and counterassault teams, as well as an additional element available outside of the venue. This will be manpower intensive, and I spoke with Pat Young from Beaver County ESU and Guy Kuzak from Washington County SWAT to ask for some assistance. Both offered to send a squad of guys with equipment to assist but asked that an official request be submitted for Region 13 assets.
I have never submitted a request for a pre-scheduled detail, and I’m not exactly sure what information you would need:
Date: 7/13/2024
Tactical Team Deployment Type: Dignitary Protection w/ counterassault and sniper deployments Event Details: Presidential Candidate Rally
Event Location : Butler Farm Show Grounds
Staging Location: 121 Sparks Ave, Butler PA 16001, Butler Township FD
Arrival Time: 0900
Expected End Time: 1830 (Region assets will be released as soon as it is operationally feasible, Butler ESU assets will expect to remain later)
Beaver County: Butler County ESU is requesting assistance from Beaver County ESU, specifically their armor asset, manpower, and tactical equipment as determined by operational needs.
Washington County: Butler County ESU is requesting assistance from Washington County SWAT, specifically with manpower and tactical equipment as determined by operational needs.
If you do need further information just let me know, and I will get whatever you need! Thank you!
“Local Pennsylvania law enforcement has been more transparent about the Trump assassination attempt than the Biden-Harris administration, which is in full cover-up mode,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said.
On August 12 Judicial Watch reported that the FBI withheld information on a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for information about its coordination with the U.S. Secret Service regarding the July 13 Butler, PA, rally.
On July 31, Judicial Watch reported that the United States Secret Service completely denied multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for documents about the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
Judicial Watch has more than 25 FOIA and open records currently pending on the shooting of Trump with the Biden administration and local and state officials and agencies in Pennsylvania.
