Woman who lives near Trump rally site says "this is not what Butler should be known for"
BUTLER, Pa. (KDKA) -- Two sisters from Butler, Pennsylvania, say they're still in shock nearly a week after witnessing the Trump rally shooting firsthand. The scary event all unfolded feet from one sister's home.
"[I] can still hear the shots being fired and not knowing what's going on," Valerie Fennell admits to KDKA-TV News, as memories of last weekend keep flooding back of the Trump rally turned nightmare in her neighborhood.
For Fennel and her sister Debbie Kuminkoski, the event last Saturday started in high spirits.
"When I heard he was coming, I'm like, 'This is going to be awesome,' like this is going to be fantastic, it's basically in my backyard," Fennel said.
However, Fennell says the fun day took a turn when 20-year-old Thomas Crooks shot several bullets from the top of a nearby building, grazing former president Donald Trump's right ear. Both sisters were standing close to the rally grounds.
"There was like a barrage of gunfire," Kuminkoski recalled.
"I did manage to call my younger daughter because I thought I was going to be killed. I thought I would be dead," Fennell admitted.
The sisters and the rest of their family were able to run to the house for safety but also recall seeing very little security on their side of the fence, never thinking they could feel unsafe in their small town.
"Anybody could have parked anywhere or even walk through my yard. I mean, this was just all open that day," Fennell said.
"This is not what Butler should be known for. Did [the Secret Service] think that we're such a small town that something like this, it wasn't important to put the security up here?" Kuminkoski asked.
Fennell says her home was once a place of peace but now it's a painful reminder.
"I'm going to give it some time, but I feel possibly I may end up wanting to sell the house," Fennell said, "It's very tainted now."
KDKA-TV did try to get closer to the rally grounds but were not let inside. Crews did spot several investigators out surveying the area on Thursday. The investigation is still ongoing.