Will County officials react to Trump assassination attempt

Several Will County officials condemned the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a campaign rally Saturday near Butler, Pennsylvania.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is still trying to determine the motive of Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, according to a report on Monday from the Associated Press.

Crooks fired shots at Trump in a shooting that killed former fire chief Corey Comperatore and left two other spectators wounded. Crooks in turn was shot and killed by authorities on the scene.

Democrat and Republican elected officials in Illinois have condemned the violence, including those in Will County.

Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, a Democrat who serves as the Will County executive, said the past weekend’s violence is “unacceptable.”

“No one should be put in harm’s way for participating in the political process. Our country’s politics has become too polarized, and we must work harder to not get pulled into the divisiveness,” Bertino-Tarrant said.

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, another Democrat, said he’s spent his entire career “safeguarding the sanctity of human life, which is the cornerstone of this great country.”

“This horrific attempted assassination is antithetical to everything our country stands for,” Glasgow said.

Steve Balich, a Republican leader on the Will County Board, said he was “extremely disgusted” by the shooting and he believed there was a “failure on the part of protecting” Trump.

“Violence ain’t going to work,” Balich said. “You got to win by the ballot box, and that’s what’s going on.”

Jackie Traynere, the Democrat leader on the Will County Board, said the incident shows the need for tougher gun control and suggested Crooks’ parents should be held accountable for his actions.

“Somehow he had the ability to get the gun,” Traynere said.

Authorities believe Crooks acted alone with his father’s gun, according to the Associated Press.

Last week, Balich and Traynere were at odds over Balich’s allegations of email hacking. The controversies between Democrats and Republicans on the Will County Board have at times mirrored the division in Washington, D.C.

Traynere said the County Board has been “ridiculously divisive” and it is only going to get worse.

“This did not help anything,” Traynere said of Saturday’s shooting.

Since Saturday’s shooting, there have been no specific threats to Joliet, according to Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English. Joliet is the largest and most populated city in Will County and the third largest in Illinois.

However, English encouraged the public to “remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or behaviors.”

“The Joliet Police Department recognizes that both local and national incidents can impact the sense of security within our community, and we want to assure our residents that our dedication to their safety remains unwavering,” English said. “Our officers are trained to respond to a wide range of situations, and no matter the situation, our officers remain vigilant every single day.”