(SQAUK) — Butler County resident Dayve Stewart was thrust into a major investigation after witnessing pivotal events before, during, and after a shooting at a Donald Trump rally. Stewart, stationed along the perimeter fence line, captured video footage that he insists could shed light on several unusual occurrences that transpired that day. However, authorities confiscated his footage, leading to his detainment and subsequent interrogation, which brought to light several shocking details.
Unusual behavior at the perimeter
Stewart told the police that the day started like any other rally, with the usual crowds of supporters and heightened security measures. However, things turned disturbing when he noticed a visibly agitated man. The man reportedly approached the fence line multiple times, where Stewart was standing, and began making threats to bystanders.
Stewart told authorities he was really on edge, pacing back and forth. He kept telling people they were trespassing and that they needed to leave. But it was strange because he didn’t seem like security or anything official—just a regular guy.
Stewart remembered that the man’s behavior was erratic, and his repeated warnings to the crowd made those nearby increasingly uncomfortable. After several tense moments, the man returned to a candy apple-red truck parked in the nearby AGR building lot. He then drove away, leaving Stewart and others puzzled but relieved that the confrontation had ended without further incident. However, the man returned with what Stewart told police he thought was a “gun.” Stewart said the angry man stuffed the object in his pants before approaching rallygoers a second time, sternly yelling at them. Who was this man, and why was he adamantly trying to disperse people from the fence line?
Seized video footage
What happened next would thrust Stewart into a much more extensive investigation. After the shooting occurred, police quickly began securing the area and gathering evidence. Stewart, who had been recording from his vantage point, was approached by a DHS agent who demanded to see his footage. The agent took down Stewert’s information and later seized his phone, citing the need to review all available evidence.
Stewart’s footage, which captured the man’s behavior and other unusual details around the perimeter, is now in law enforcement’s hands. It is unclear what, if anything, the footage has revealed, but the authorities’ quick action to secure it suggests it may hold significant clues.
Interrogation reveals more clues
During his detention, Stewart underwent a rigorous interrogation. It was during this time that he revealed further unsettling details. He informed the officers that, besides the man near the fence line, he had overheard police discussing a potential second suspect. Stewart explained to the officer during his questioning that he overheard law enforcement, shortly after the shooting, talking about finding blood in one of the bathrooms in the AGR building.
“When the long gun guy moved us over to the township police car to take cover there, the door was open, and we could hear the radio communications,” explained Stewert. “They said, ‘Shooter dead on the roof,’ and then they said, ‘We breached the building–there is blood in the bathroom–second shooter on the loose.'”
“If the guy climbed on the roof and shot from there, then how was there blood found inside the building?,” questioned Stewart. “So, there had to be a second shooter, right? That got shot or something.”
This information, which Stewart claims to have gleaned from police radio communications while he was being held, adds a new layer of complexity to the investigation. The presence of blood in the AGR building suggests that there may have been another person involved in the incident, potentially connected to the man Stewart observed earlier.
The mysterious man and the candy apple red truck
Stewart’s description of the man who caused a stir at the fence line has led to more questions than answers. He observed that the man was dressed in ordinary clothing—a gray shirt and unremarkable attire that allowed him to blend in with the crowd, except for his agitated behavior. The fact that the man drove away in a uniquely colored vehicle—a candy apple red truck—and later returned, possibly with a gun, has captured the interest of investigators.
The man has not been identified, and the truck has not been found. However, Stewart’s detailed account has given authorities essential leads. The man’s persistent efforts to control the crowd and his sudden departure indicate that he might have had prior knowledge of, or involvement in, the subsequent events.
The search for a second suspect
The revelation that police are searching for a second suspect, potentially linked to the blood found in the AGR building’s bathroom, has intensified the investigation. While Stewart’s role in uncovering this information was inadvertent, his account has been invaluable to law enforcement as they piece together the day’s events.
Despite his detention’s tension and uncertainty, Stewart has cooperated fully with authorities. His willingness to share what he witnessed—and overheard—has positioned him as a critical witness in the ongoing investigation.
A community on edge
The shooting at the Trump rally has left the Butler County community shaken. The details emerging from the investigation have only deepened the sense of unease. With authorities tight-lipped about their findings and the search for additional suspects continuing, residents wonder precisely what transpired that day.
As the investigation advances, Stewart’s footage and testimony will likely be critical in determining the complete scope of the incident. Currently, the community and the nation are eagerly awaiting further updates, hoping for answers to the many lingering questions.
In the meantime, Stewart remains hopeful that the truth will come to light.
