Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe confirms that an armed municipal officer with Butler Township encountered shooter Thomas Crooks on Saturday.
Before Saturday's attempted assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, officers and others were alerted to a suspicious person and began searching right away.
Sheriff Slupe said this officer was hoisted by another officer to the roof of the building where the shooter had taken position.
When the shooter turned and aimed his rifle at the officer, he dropped to the ground.
Sherriff Slupe tells KDKA Radio’s Marty Griffin, he did what any other officer would've done.
“What are you going to do? Climb up and get shot and killed? No, get down, radio what’s going on,” said Slupe. “He was equipped, he had his firearm. He had his taser. He was equipped to do what he had to do, it’s just the situation didn’t warrant it and I think any officer that you talk to would’ve said ‘I’d do the same thing.’”
Once the officer let go and fell off the roof, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks began firing into the crowd, grazing Trump’s ear, killing a retired firefighter and injuring two others.
Sniper fire from Secret Service. killed Crooks authorities say.