Post Assassination Attempt
on Former President
On independent assignment, I went to both Butler and Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to capture the social aftermath of the attempt on Former President Donald Trump’s life.
On the evening of July 14th, 2024, a 20 year old man named Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate the Former United States President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania. Moments later, on independent assignment, I travelled to get as close as possible to the scene.
In the early hours of July 15th, and throughout the remainder of the day, I spoke to people in both Butler and Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about how they felt about the assassination attempt and the former president himself.
Above: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addresses media at Butler Township Police Department.
Meet Renee White:
Trump supporter and Butler rally attendee.
Trump’s July 14th rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was White’s 32nd rally. The enthusiastic Trump supporter and rally-frequent tells me her story.
The Butler rally was 57-year-old Renee White’s 32nd Trump rally. Her first rally was in Ohio in 2016, before she moved out of the state due to both her husband’s health and harassment for her Trump yard signs. She is a registered republican, but is more than inclined to “vote for the person I feel best to fill the office. It doesn’t matter if it’s a republican or democrat…I would have voted for JFK back in the day.”
White was raised in Manistee County, Michigan. She told me about where her political ideas may have originated, growing up listening to now deceased conservative radio host Paul Harvey with her art teacher in grade school. “That inspired me to think a little differently…he taught me a lot of common core values, he taught me a lot about standing in what your rights are and what you believe in.”
She grew up as one of 6 siblings, her parents owning a small rural gas station for income. Today, she takes care of her marine husband, who is diagnosed with Parkinsons. The two moved to North Carolina to find more effective treatment. “Just trying to live the American dream, and give it to my kids,” she told me while tearing up.
Security at this rally was “a little more wonky,” than what she had experienced at her prior 31 rallies. Once at the rally on July 14th, Renee found herself standing on the bleachers closely behind where Trump was speaking at the podium. As confirmed by her, she is quite visibly in the livestream footage from that day; wearing the same outfit she is pictured in above. “I go to support Trump…love the man, I like going there. The patriotism there and everything that gets going… it gives you something. You walk away with a good feeling.”
She described to me her perspective of the moments shots rang out.“So we’re all looking that (the monitor), and I don’t know if I travelled (tracked) sound or sight…the only thing I can tell you is that when the first shot fired, it was almost like I followed it right to Trump. And then there was like ‘boom, boom,” two more shots, Trump got down on the ground.” She tells me she realized the situation was dire when she could hear the Secret Service members speaking to each other over their radios and running out with rifles. “I heard them say ‘shooter down, shooter down,’ and I’m like this is for real.”
Though visibly rattled by the shooting a day prior, she continued to stand by the curb with a paper reading “Never Surrender,” with Trump’s infamous August 2023 mugshot, encouraging cars driving by to support Trump with her. “I had to get (my) energy back up right? ‘Cause what just happened to our president? When he got up with that (referring to Trump pumping his fist to the air post-shooting) that was my sign. We’re gonna keep fighting.”
"Cowboy Dave" David Graham is the founder of "first impact ministry" and non-profit "Hearts Hurt." Where and when tragedies such as floods, mass shootings, civil unrest, and more occur, Graham drives his truck to volunteer and lift spirits however he may. "Presenting hope after catastrophic events," is the organization's mission statement as seen on their website.
Main entrance to Bethel Park High School in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Thomas Crooks graduated from BPHS in Spring of 2022. The high school is located about 45 minutes from where the Butler Trump rally was held the evening of July 14th.
Photographed above is a man that walked the same hallways as Thomas Crooks at Bethel Park High School in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He preferred to remain unidentified, but comfortably shared with me what he knew about the man that attempted to assassinate the former president.
2021 graduate of Bethel Park High School, the above man (I will call him ‘21) said Crooks was “a quiet student.” “People picked on him, it’s high school, but to the level that they went to pick on him…it overshot.” ‘21 described how Crooks was often teased for being quiet, the clothes he wore, and the way he looked. ‘21 was not a close friend of Crooks, more comfortable describing the shooter as a classmate.
‘21 has lived in Bethel Park since he was in the 5th grade. He described it as a quiet town. “Nothing really goes on here.” He also addressed the politics of the town to be largely Trump leaning.
“I was kinda shocked,” he said as he discussed his reaction to learning he attended high school with the man that attempted to assassinate Trump. “It’s like in our neighborhood. My friend lives right down the street from him. It’s crazy. Very shocking…basically growing up here, hearing that somebody from our neighborhood our community did that.”
Pennsylvania State Trooper Vehicle blocking the road which leads to the intersection three houses from where shooter Thomas Crooks lived with his family.