Trump Rally Shooting: Butler Duo Could Play Critical Role In Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two Pittsburgh-area men could provide crucial information this week to congressional members beginning inquiries into the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Requested to testify Tuesday at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday are Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe and Lt. Matthew Pearson of the Butler Township Police Department.

Expected to appear are Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris and a trio of federal officials:U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray. Cheatle also is supposed to testify solo before the House Oversight Committee on Monday.

All will be questioned about the significant security failures that allowed Timothy Matthew Crooks to open fire during a Trump rally in Butler. The shots killed one spectator, seriously wounded two others and left Trump with a wounded ear.

A Secret Service sniper shot and killed Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park.

Local, state and federal law enforcement personnel have been harshly criticized in the shooting's aftermath. Slupe, however, last week strongly defended the Butler police officer who briefly confronted Crooks just moments before the shooting.

The officer was attempting to climb onto the roof from which Crooks was about to shoot but fell. That allowed Crooks to turn his attention back to Trump.

Slupe told the New York Post that the officer even momentarily distracting the shooter likely saved the ex-president's life because he turned his head to look at a nearby chart while delivering his rally remarks.

“Can you imagine 10 seconds before that? That the president was looking straight ahead and where that bullet could have potentially landed," Slupe said to the newspaper.

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-TN, said the testimony of those invited or subpoenaed is essential.

“As we continue to gather all the facts about the cowardly attempt on President Trump’s life, the accounts and experiences of state and local law enforcement professionals with direct knowledge of these events will be critical," Green said in a statement. "Our goal is to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again, and I very much look forward to working with these officials in order to accomplish that critical objective.