[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE MAN WHO ATTEMPTED TO ASSASSINATE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS’  PARENTS WERE ALLEGEDLY LOOKING FOR THE 20-YEAR-OLD AND EVEN CALLED POLICE – IN THE HOURS LEADING UP TO THE SHOOTING SATURDAY – ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY FOX NEWS.

THE NEWS OUTLET REPORTS – CROOKS’ PARENTS HAD INDICATED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT THEIR SON WAS MISSING AND THEY WERE “WORRIED.”

MEANWHILE – NBC NEW REPORTS SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAID CROOKS’ FATHER CALLED POLICE AFTER THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION TO TELL POLICE HIS SON AND AR RIFLE WERE MISSING. 

IT’S UNCLEAR IF CROOKS’ FATHER CALLED POLICE BEFORE OR JUST AFTER THE SHOOTING OR BOTH.

THE FBI WENT TO THE CROOKS’ FAMILY HOME IN BETHEL PARK, PENNSYLVANIA – LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN RALLY SITE SATURDAY – WHERE THEY FOUND MORE THAN A DOZEN LEGAL GUNS IN THE RESIDENCE.

LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS CROOKS’ PARENTS ARE COOPERATING WITH THE INVESTIGATION.

ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, ONE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOTING — THOMAS CROOKS WENT TO A GUN RANGE TO PRACTICE SHOOTING.

LAW ENFORCEMENT ALSO SAID CROOKS REQUESTED OFF WORK THAT SATURDAY – A DAY HE WOULD’VE NORMALLY BEEN AT WORK – BECAUSE HE TOLD HIS BOSS HE “HAD SOMETHING TO DO” AND THAT HE TOLD HIS COWORKERS HE WOULD SEE THEM ON SUNDAY.

ON SATURDAY MORNING — CROOKS PURCHASED A 5-FOOT LADDER FROM A HOME DEPOT STORE BEFORE BUYING 50 ROUNDS OF AMMO FROM A LOCAL GUN SHOP. THE WOULD-BE ASSASSIN THEN DROVE TO THE RALLY.

WITNESSES SAID CROOKS WAS SEEN WALKING AROUND FOR AT LEAST A HALF HOUR – BEFORE CLIMBING ON THE ROOF OF A BUILDING LESS THAN 150 YARDS FROM WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS SPEAKING ON STAGE. 

VIDEO ON X SHOWS WITNESSES YELLING AT POLICE MINUTES BEFORE THE SHOOTING THAT A MAN WAS ON THE ROOF WITH A GUN.

AT 6:11 PM – CROOKS FIRED THREE SHOTS – ONE GRAZING TRUMP’S EAR.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT DUCKED BELOW THE PODIUM WHILE SECRET SERVICES AGENTS PILED ON TOP  TO PROTECT HIM FROM ANY FURTHER GUNFIRE.

A COUNTER-SNIPER FIRED BACK – KILLING CROOKS.

ONE MAN IN THE CROWD WAS KILLED AND TWO OTHERS WERE CRITICALLY INJURED.

QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW CROOKS COULD’VE GOTTEN ONTO THE ROOFTOP WITH AN AR RIFLE – LINGER FOUR DAYS AFTER THE SHOOTING.

HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAID THE HOUSE WILL CREATE A TASK FORCE TO INVESTIGATE THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION “QUICKLY.”

[MIKE JOHNSON]

“SINCE THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, WITHIN HOURS, I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH SECRETARY MAYORKAS AT HOMELAND SECURITY. HE DID NOT HAVE SATISFACTORY ANSWERS AT THAT TIME. I’VE SINCE SPOKEN TO LEADERS AT THE FBI, THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, THEY ALSO, UH, THERE ARE REAL QUESTIONS, LET’S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY. THE ANSWERS HAVE NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING. I THINK THEY’RE GATHERING DATA, WE’RE GOING TO DO IT, AS WELL. WE HAVE TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS. IT WAS INEXCUSABLE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WERE SECURITY LAPSES. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A SPECIAL OPS EXPERT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS HE WILL BE ASKING SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE TO RESIGN. SHE’S EXPECTED TO TESTIFY ON CAPITOL HILL NEXT WEEK.

FOR SAN, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR…