{"id":2346813,"date":"2024-09-27T15:15:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T19:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/full-story-of-heroic-butler-rally-cop-emerges-never-took-his-red-dot-off-of-crooks\/"},"modified":"2024-09-27T15:16:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T19:16:33","slug":"full-story-of-heroic-butler-rally-cop-emerges-never-took-his-red-dot-off-of-crooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/full-story-of-heroic-butler-rally-cop-emerges-never-took-his-red-dot-off-of-crooks\/","title":{"rendered":"Full Story of Heroic Butler Rally Cop Emerges: &#8216;Never Took His Red Dot Off of Crooks&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffull-story-of-heroic-butler-rally-cop-emerges-never-took-his-red-dot-off-of-crooks%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2346813&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A recent incident at a rally\u200b for former President Donald Trump \u200bin Butler, Pennsylvania, involved a\u200b shooting when a suspected assassin, Thomas Matthew\u200c Crooks, opened fire from\u200c a rooftop. Despite Crooks firing eight shots,\u2062 killing one person and injuring \u200dothers,\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-red-wave-of-conservative-women-elected-to-congress\/\" title=\"The Red Wave of Conservative Women Elected to Congress\">law enforcement<\/a> responded swiftly. An officer, Sergeant \u2063Aaron Zaliponi from the Adams Township Police Department, took decisive action by returning fire,\u2063 hitting Crooks&#8217; rifle and\u200b likely incapacitating\u2062 him. This allowed a Secret Service counter-sniper to\u2064 deliver the lethal\u2063 shot. \u2063Sergeant \u2063Zaliponi, a veteran with prior combat\u200b experience, described the tense\u2064 moments leading to his shot, affirming that he\u200b struck the shooter. The incident has\u200b drawn attention to the rapid response of \u200blaw enforcement amidst criticism about the perceived delay \u2062in securing \u200dthe\u2063 area.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> <script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>When a would-be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sarah-huckabee-sanders-criticizes-jill-and-joe-biden-at-rnc-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Sarah Huckabee Sanders criticizes Jill and Joe Biden at RNC - Washington Examiner\">assassin&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s bullets began flying at former President Donald Trump&rsquo;s Butler, Pennsylvania, rally, it didn&rsquo;t take long before it was the gunman&rsquo;s turn to take incoming fire.<\/p>\n<p>The fire and ferocity of one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fight-breaks-out-at-trump-campaign-office-opening-in-georgia-report-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Fight breaks out at Trump campaign office opening in Georgia: Report - Washington Examiner\">law enforcement officer&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s response is now being realized as the public learns more details about the July 13 shooting.<\/p>\n<p>The situation first erupted at the rally when a suspicious man climbed on a roof overlooking the rally grounds and opened fire on Trump as the former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/executed-to-perfection-deep-states-color-revolution-of-the-united-states-is-now-after-red-meat\/\" title=\"Executed to Perfection \u2013 Deep State\u2019s Color Revolution of the United States Is Now After Red Meat\">president spoke<\/a>. Trump and two rallygoers ultimately survived after being hit in the gunfire, while a third victim, Corey Comperatore, was killed.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman, was able to put eight shots downrange before security engaged Crooks and killed him.<\/p>\n<p>After Crooks&rsquo; initial eight shots, an officer from below his position fired a round from his M4 rifle that likely disabled the shooter&rsquo;s gun.<\/p>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>Rep. Clay Higgins noted in a congressional report last month that this officer&rsquo;s shot <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/preliminary-report-finds-thomas-matthew-crooks-fragged-rifle-likely-disabled-swat-operators-incredible-shot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">struck the buffer tube of Crooks&rsquo; AR-15 rifle<\/a>, likely ending its ability to cycle ammunition.<\/p>\n<p>The incredible shot also &ldquo;fragged&rdquo; Crooks &mdash; peppering the shooter&rsquo;s neck and face with bits of metal and plastic exploding out from the rifle&rsquo;s struck stock.<\/p>\n<p>Now, we finally know who this heroic officer is.<\/p>\n<p>During Thursday&rsquo;s hearing held by the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, Higgins revealed him to be Adams Township Police Department sergeant Aaron Zaliponi while reading the officer&rsquo;s testimony about action taken after he heard the shots.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I hear the first three, crack, crack, crack,&rdquo; Higgins <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?c5134273\/user-clip-assassination-1st-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">read aloud in the hearing<\/a>, &ldquo;and at this point I&rsquo;m like OK, where are we at here? I look up and when I see Crooks, I got his head and shoulders and can see a rifle.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Zaliponi, who was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/thenationalguard\/3276690094\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">deployed to Iraq as an infantry squad leader<\/a> with the Pennsylvania National Guard&rsquo;s 28th Infantry Division, moved to directly engage the shooter.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;At that point I hear another crack and when I start pulling my weapon up, he gets three off. As I&rsquo;m getting my target acquired and getting my red dot up, I see the gas emit from his barrel, his muzzle. After that I hear the snap of a fifth shot go off and immediately after that I pressed one off and that&rsquo;s when he immediately goes down.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Zaliponi&rsquo;s shot, the ninth of the event, was quickly followed by a Secret Service counter-sniper&rsquo;s round, which is considered the killing blow. Despite the official narrative, the Pennsylvania cop is certain he hit Crooks.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I know I hit him,&rdquo; Zaliponi&rsquo;s transcribed interview says. &ldquo;Like, there&rsquo;s no doubt about it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Higgins says his own investigation leads him to believe the officer&rsquo;s shot did more than disable the shooter&rsquo;s rifle, but actually hit Crooks in some way and stopped him.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/photos-trump-shooters-rifle-gear-released-appear-confirm-report-crooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Photos of Crooks&rsquo; rifle<\/a> and other evidence shows the serious impact the ninth shot had.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Zaliponi never took his red dot off of Crooks,&rdquo; Higgins told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theblaze.com\/news\/heroic-local-sergeant-who-incapacitated-would-be-assassin-thomas-crooks-at-july-13-trump-rally-identified\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Blaze<\/a>, &ldquo;and as Crooks rose up from shot 9, Zaliponi was a half-second away from pressing another round into Crooks when the USSS southern counter-sniper team ended the threat.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Law enforcement and the Secret Service both received criticism for a seemingly sluggish response to Crooks, who was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/new-video-clearest-earliest-yet-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooting-else-notice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seen and recorded by many people at the rally grounds<\/a> just before the shooting.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During a rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, a would-be assassin opened fire, but soon faced return fire from law enforcement. The details of the July 13 incident are becoming clearer as the public learns about the intense response from an officer. The chaos began when a suspicious individual fired at Trump while he was speaking. Although Trump and two attendees survived being shot, Corey Comperatore tragically lost his life. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, managed to fire eight rounds before being engaged and killed by security forces. An officer&#8217;s shot likely disabled Crooks&#8217; weapon after he fired those initial shots.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Clay Higgins highlighted in a recent congressional report that this officer&#8217;s bullet struck Crooks&#8217; AR-15 rifle&#8217;s buffer tube, rendering it unable to function properly and injuring Crooks with debris from the rifle\u2019s stock. During a hearing on the attempted assassination of Trump, Higgins identified Sergeant Aaron Zaliponi of the Adams Township Police Department as this heroic officer and shared his account of events during the shooting.<\/p>\n<p>Zaliponi recounted hearing three shots before spotting Crooks with his rifle aimed at Trump. As he prepared to engage him further shots were fired by Crooks; however, Zaliponi managed to take aim and shoot back just after another round was discharged by Crooks\u2014this shot is believed to have incapacitated him before Secret Service agents delivered their fatal blow.<\/p>\n<p>Despite official reports suggesting otherwise, Zaliponi is confident that he hit Crooks during that exchange. Evidence supports this claim regarding the impact of his shot on both the shooter and his weapon system. Law enforcement has faced scrutiny for their delayed reaction leading up to these events despite many witnesses observing Crooks prior to opening fire<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2346814,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/butler-rally-analysis.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[14071,7892,16383,4433],"class_list":["post-2346813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-butler","tag-cop","tag-heroic","tag-rally"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/butler-rally-analysis.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2346813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346813\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2346814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2346813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2346813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2346813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}