Trump rally shooter was reported as a suspicious person an hour before opening fire, sources say

The gunman who opened fire at former President Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally was reported as a suspicious person — and photographed — one hour before he began shooting, according to three sources familiar with a briefing for senators Wednesday.

Secret Service and FBI officials shared a timeline of events that revealed troubling new details about the assassination attempt and raised questions about why Secret Service officials allowed Trump to take the stage.

Thomas Matthew Crooks — who had a range finder and a backpack with him — was reported as a suspicious person one hour before he began shooting, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said in a statement after the briefing.

“This was a 100% cover-your-ass briefing,” Barrasso said. “He had a range finder and a backpack. The Secret Service lost sight of him.”

Roughly 30 minutes after the initial suspicious person report, Pennsylvania State Police notified the Secret Service of a suspicious person at 5:51 p.m. The Secret Service notified its snipers at 5:53 p.m., the sources said.

At 6:02 p.m., Trump took the stage. At 6:09 p.m., members of the crowd notified police that Crooks, 20, was on a rooftop. Two minutes later, Crooks opened fire on Trump at 6:11 p.m.

Senators were also told that Crooks visited the site of the assassination attempt last week, the sources said.

Barrasso said Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle should be removed.

“No one has taken responsibility,” Barrasso said. “Someone has died. The [former] President was almost killed. The head of the Secret Service needs to go.”

The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In an interview Tuesday with ABC News, Cheatle said that she did not yet have all the details about the incident but that