A newly surfaced video has provided fresh insights into the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The footage, captured by James Copenhaver, one of the critically wounded victims, shows a figure moving across the roof of the American Glass Research (AGR) building just minutes before gunfire erupted, Fox News reported.

The video, taken at 6:08 p.m., depicts a person walking on the adjacent building's roof from 1:00 to 2:50 in the recording. Officials believe the gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, began firing with a collapsible AR-15-style rifle approximately three minutes later, at 6:11 p.m.

A newly released video of the attempt on Trump’s life shows Crooks running across the roof in plain sight. Why wasn’t he dealt with? pic.twitter.com/NO4VjbYpZF

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 31, 2024

The shooting resulted in the death of 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, a husband, father, and former fire chief. Two other victims, Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 57, were critically wounded, each sustaining two gunshot wounds.

FBI officials revealed that Crooks gained access to the AGR building roof by climbing HVAC equipment and piping, traversing multiple rooftops to reach a position with a direct line of sight to the former president. The bureau is still investigating Crooks' motive.

New details have emerged about the shooter's preparations:

1. On July 6, Crooks researched Lee Harvey Oswald's distance from President John F. Kennedy during the 1963 assassination.
2. On July 7, he conducted a 20-minute reconnaissance of the rally site.
3. On the day of the rally, Crooks flew a drone near the speaking area and was present at the site for about 70 minutes in the morning.

Law enforcement had noted a suspicious person near the rally site approximately 90 minutes before the shooting and photographed Crooks around 4:36 p.m. The failure of the US Secret Service to act and prevent the assassination attempt saw Director Kimberly Cheatle resign in disgrace. 

As the investigation continues, Copenhaver, recently discharged from Allegheny General Hospital, is recovering in a rehabilitation center. His attorney, Joseph Feldman, described the chaotic scene during the shooting, noting that Copenhaver initially felt something "whiz past him" before realizing he had been shot.