EXCLUSIVE: BETHEL PARK, Penn. – Shocking cellphone video shows chaos at the Butler Farm Saturday after Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on a Pennsylvania Trump rally, injuring the former president, killing one spectator and critically wounding two more.
The video shows ducking spectators flagging authorities for help after the gunfire stops.
“We’ve got someone down,” a man can be heard shouting as he waves his arms. “Hey!”
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The camera pans toward the stage, as Trump returns to his feet, flanked by Secret Service agents, and raises a fist.
Todd, the Army veteran who took the video and asked to be identified only as Todd the Driller, said he initially offered to bring his son to the rally but was concerned the crowd might be too boisterous.
WATCH: Exclusive video shows the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Trump
He said he was relieved when the 9-year-old wanted to back out. But then both the boy and his 12-year-old daughter asked for Trump campaign hats, so he wound up attending alone.
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Todd arrived early and called his kids on FaceTime from a row of vendors. They chose their hats. He bought them. Then he made his way toward the stage.
WATCH: Exclusive video shows new perspective of Trump attempted assassination
The rally started late, he said, but by the time Trump arrived, he had a good vantage point near the north fence.
He had been taking pictures and videos to send his son, but when the gunfire erupted, his phone was in his pocket and he was listening to Trump’s remarks.
“I had no idea I was in the lane of fire between the shooter and President Trump, but when I heard the crack-crack-crack, I knew what that was,” he said. “It was directly behind me, and bullets whizzed like maybe 20 feet to my left.”
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Todd, who is not a Democrat or a Conservative, said he’s a two-issue voter. He’s pro-life and, as an oil driller, he favors lawmakers who support the industry that puts food on his family’s table.
Counter-snipers neutralized the threat, but not before Crooks, 20, killed a 50-year-old father of two named Corey Comperatore, critically wounded David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, according to authorities.
Todd whipped his phone out and recorded the president climbing back to his feet, surrounded by Secret Service agents.
But when he turned around to see what was going on behind him, what he saw shocked him. Members of the Secret Service and law enforcement inside the secure perimeter couldn’t get out without jumping a fence – until a deputy eventually drove through it to let them out.
“The befuddled law enforcement that couldn’t do their jobs because no one had enough foresight to have that gate unlocked and have a guard posted there and control entrance to it,” he said.
Fortunately, a Secret Service counter-sniper neutralized the gunman before other agents and law enforcement officers reached him on the roof.
Still, the security lapse has prompted widespread criticism of the preparations in place for a presidential candidate’s campaign event.
United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle conceded that Crooks had been dubbed a “potential person of suspicion” before the assassination attempt.
In an interview with ABC News Tuesday, she said the Secret Service was aware of the security vulnerabilities presented by the building Crooks took a sniper’s position on to aim at Trump. However, a decision was made not to place any personnel on the roof.
“That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside,” she said.
Although he was just steps from one of the victims, Todd escaped injury. He said he was still “decompressing” Tuesday.
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“I shouldn’t have been there that day, and that was God’s plan for me for some reason,” he said. “I had no idea that I was stepping into history when I went to go get a hat for my kids.”
When things calmed down, Todd left and went to see his family.
“I gave my kids the hats,” he said. “And I took a silver Sharpie, and I wrote inside the bill in small print “7/13/24, Love Dad,” and gave them a big hug and a kiss.”
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