Former US President Donald Trump received an enthusiastic welcome from his supporters during the opening night of the Republican National Convention on Monday. This appearance came just two days following an assassination attempt that left his right ear grazed by a bullet.
As Trump entered the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, he sported a noticeable bandage covering the injured ear.The crowd erupted in chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight” while pumping their fists, echoing Trump’s response in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Mouthing the words “Thank you” to the energetic audience, the former president took his seat in a box accompanied by some of his children and US Senator JD Vance, whom Trump had selected as his running mate earlier that day.
Meanwhile, the FBI is continuing with its investigation of how an armed individual managed to access the rooftop of a building and open fire on Trump. Before the shooting, police had received reports of a suspicious person, and witnesses had alerted authorities to an armed man on a nearby roof while Trump was delivering his speech.
The assassination attempt resulted in injuries to Trump and two others, as well as the death of Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief who was protecting his family.
However, an audio forensic analysis conducted by experts from the National Center for Media Forensics at the University of Colorado in Denver suggests the possibility of a second shooter in the incident that took place in Butler. According to Catalin Grigoras and Cole Whitecotton, “The first three shots were consistent with alleged weapon A, the next five were consistent with alleged weapon B and the final ‘acoustic impulse’ was emitted by a possible weapon C.” While one of the shooters has been identified and another was a Secret Service sniper, the identity of the third potential shooter remains unknown.
As per a substack by Stephen Bryen, former deputy under secretary of defense, despite the FBI’s assertion that the identified shooter acted alone, this controversial audio forensic analysis raises questions that warrant further investigation and peer review. Beyond the audio forensics, other aspects of the incident require attention.
The initial burst of gunfire originated from the identified shooter’s location. A second burst was detected from an unclear location, distinct from the first. Additionally, there may have been a third shooter who fired a single shot. Forensic acoustic experts propose the involvement of at least two shooters, excluding the Secret Service snipers, Bryen wrote in his substack “weapons and strategy”.
Moreover, the exact number of shots fired by the Secret Service snipers on the rooftop behind Trump is unknown. Most reports indicate that it took only one shot to neutralize the shooter. The agents, equipped with sophisticated sniper weapons—one mounted on a tripod and another on a small stand for a prone shot—are believed to have fired after the shooter initiated gunfire. However, this sequence does not entirely match the acoustic evidence. The evidence suggests that the final single shot, if confirmed, may have been fired by the snipers, resulting in the shooter’s death by a single headshot, Bryen said.
“The Secret Service sniper(s) did their job, but there are still questions about the timing as the threat could have been eliminated much sooner and lives perhaps could have been saved. Bullets flying around the shooter but not instantly killing him also could have been a partial deterrent,” Bryen wrote.
To ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation, a solid FBI investigation with Congressional oversight is necessary. The FBI possesses the forensic capabilities required to conduct a proper investigation, but strong leadership and oversight are essential to prevent a sloppy or politically biased review.
(With inputs from agencies)
As Trump entered the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, he sported a noticeable bandage covering the injured ear.The crowd erupted in chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight” while pumping their fists, echoing Trump’s response in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Mouthing the words “Thank you” to the energetic audience, the former president took his seat in a box accompanied by some of his children and US Senator JD Vance, whom Trump had selected as his running mate earlier that day.
Meanwhile, the FBI is continuing with its investigation of how an armed individual managed to access the rooftop of a building and open fire on Trump. Before the shooting, police had received reports of a suspicious person, and witnesses had alerted authorities to an armed man on a nearby roof while Trump was delivering his speech.
The assassination attempt resulted in injuries to Trump and two others, as well as the death of Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief who was protecting his family.
However, an audio forensic analysis conducted by experts from the National Center for Media Forensics at the University of Colorado in Denver suggests the possibility of a second shooter in the incident that took place in Butler. According to Catalin Grigoras and Cole Whitecotton, “The first three shots were consistent with alleged weapon A, the next five were consistent with alleged weapon B and the final ‘acoustic impulse’ was emitted by a possible weapon C.” While one of the shooters has been identified and another was a Secret Service sniper, the identity of the third potential shooter remains unknown.
As per a substack by Stephen Bryen, former deputy under secretary of defense, despite the FBI’s assertion that the identified shooter acted alone, this controversial audio forensic analysis raises questions that warrant further investigation and peer review. Beyond the audio forensics, other aspects of the incident require attention.
The initial burst of gunfire originated from the identified shooter’s location. A second burst was detected from an unclear location, distinct from the first. Additionally, there may have been a third shooter who fired a single shot. Forensic acoustic experts propose the involvement of at least two shooters, excluding the Secret Service snipers, Bryen wrote in his substack “weapons and strategy”.
Moreover, the exact number of shots fired by the Secret Service snipers on the rooftop behind Trump is unknown. Most reports indicate that it took only one shot to neutralize the shooter. The agents, equipped with sophisticated sniper weapons—one mounted on a tripod and another on a small stand for a prone shot—are believed to have fired after the shooter initiated gunfire. However, this sequence does not entirely match the acoustic evidence. The evidence suggests that the final single shot, if confirmed, may have been fired by the snipers, resulting in the shooter’s death by a single headshot, Bryen said.
“The Secret Service sniper(s) did their job, but there are still questions about the timing as the threat could have been eliminated much sooner and lives perhaps could have been saved. Bullets flying around the shooter but not instantly killing him also could have been a partial deterrent,” Bryen wrote.
To ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation, a solid FBI investigation with Congressional oversight is necessary. The FBI possesses the forensic capabilities required to conduct a proper investigation, but strong leadership and oversight are essential to prevent a sloppy or politically biased review.
(With inputs from agencies)