Counter-sniper Ben Shaffer said it was “absolutely” concerning that Thomas Crooks' body was disposed of before an official autopsy report was released.
A SWAT counter-sniper who was working at the Pennsylvania rally where Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt has agreed with lawmakers that an “odd” pattern of evidence-handling took place after the shooting. On Monday, August 26, Washington Regional SWAT counter-sniper Ben Shaffer said it was “absolutely” concerning that the roof of the AGR International building was scrubbed in a hurry and the suspect's body was disposed of before an official autopsy report was released.
The comments were made during a panel discussion at the conservative Heritage Foundation, hosted by five House Republicans — Reps. Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona, Matt Gaetz and Cory Mills of Florida, and Chip Roy of Texas. Shaffer and other witnesses were present.
‘It sounds like destruction of evidence'
“Do you find it odd that literally only days after the attempted assassination on President Donald J. Trump, while the roof was too sloped to place individuals for counter-sniper operations, that it wasn't too sloped of a roof for the FBI to go ahead and tamper, in my opinion, with evidence by washing the roof off that may have had significant evidence on it?” Mills asked Shaffer, referencing the series of events that took place after the July 13 shooting.
“Yes, I do,” Shaffer answered, according to New York Post.
“Do you also find it odd … that the body of Matthew Crooks had not only been released and cremated — but that the coroner who's responsible for releasing the body had no knowledge of it?” Mills asked.
“Yes, absolutely,” Shaffer said.
“It sounds like destruction of evidence,” Erik Prince, a former US Navy SEAL who founded the private military contractor Blackwater, replied.
Mills also claimed there was a lack of transparency on the FBI's part concerning gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks' purported “online” research into explosives and encrypted overseas messaging accounts. Shaffer earlier told Biggs that Crooks was seen walking the grounds of the Butler Farm Show with a rangefinder scope, which should have elevated him from a “suspicious person” to a “person of interest” in the eyes of law enforcement. “That would warrant some type of either investigatory detention or stop and question,” he said.
Crooks injured Trump and two others, and killed one attendee. He was subsequently killed by Secret Service snipers. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after facing massive criticism.
