North Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - Just as you cross the railroad tracks on Fenton Street from River Road in the City of North Tonawanda, you may find most days a trailer where Niagara County residents purchase their flags, t-shirts and other products to display their support for their preferred candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election: Donald Trump.
Given the shots fired at the Trump rally in Butler, Pa. this past Saturday that resulted in one audience member dead and Trump and two others injured, "Trump Trailer" owner Thomas Matusak knew the next few days of business after the shooting would be bustling.
"We were very busy. People are upset, and people want to energize their position, political position now more than ever," said Matusak during a rainy Monday at the trailer.
Matusak says the amount of people patronizing his business nearly tripled on Sunday.
He adds that many Trump supporters, although disturbed and speculating regarding what exactly happened a few days ago in Butler, are now more energized than ever to show their support for the former President, who raised his fist to the crowd of thousands after he was tackled by Secret Service agents, letting people know not only was he OK but fired shots were not going to deter him from his goal of regaining the presidency.
"[Trump] just got winged in air and a minute later, he's looking for his shoes and wants to share with his constituents that he's okay. He's a warrior. He did not cower and try to hide and just escape the scene, he wanted to make a statement," said Matusak.
As FBI investigations continue into determining whether not this was or was not an assassination attempt on Trump's life, patrons of the Trump Trailer noted that Trump is lucky to be alive and that the fact that this resulted in the death of a firefighter: Corey Comperatore.
"[Trump] is very lucky to be alive," said Joseph Kane of Lockport, who spoke with WBEN on Monday after making his purchases at the Trump Trailer.
"The other thing that is really sad is the firemen that lost his life, just a tragedy. They were all excited to go, the mom that the kids and they all jumped in the car and went and then something like this happens. I mean, what a horrible, horrible thing. That's the worst thing out of the whole thing."
Both Kane and Matusak wondered how the shooter, who was later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to ascend a building just a few hundred yards away from the former President and begin opening fire, noting a lapse in security.
"The sniper that was for the Secret Service, he actually saw this gentleman apparently up on the roof. So why wasn't there action before the shooting? Why didn't they get him down off that roof? Why didn't they go after him?" asked Kane.
North Tonawanda has always shown a history of voting Republican or Conservative in most local elections, with a recent exception being current Mayor and former Alderman, Austin Tylec. According to polling numbers of the Niagara County Board of Elections, more people in North Tonawanda voted Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections than Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
And despite the shooting resulting in the death of the shooter, the firefighter and the several injuries sustained by crowd members and Trump, Matusak and Kane think that Trump sending the message to the people that he was okay was enough to convince some people that he is better fit to serve as president.
"You're gonna see a big turnaround as far as support in the community," said Matusak. "It will probably help his campaign, but it was the worst thing I've ever wanted to see. There probably will be some positive you know, people will start looking at him as a man and not just some dictator - the opposition anyway."
"Without a doubt, it's cemented his role. People are really upset about it. So you're gonna see a lot of turnaround. People, I think, Biden supporters, they're going to turn around, they're going to see what has driven this shooter to do what he's done, with the animosity in the country, all the hate all the democratic pressure. I mean, it's just so obvious," Kane added.
