Almost 100 minutes before former President Donald Trump walked on stage in Butler, Pa., law enforcement knew of the presence of his would-be assassin.

The New York Times, reviewing law enforcement's text messages, reported that a local countersniper going off duty at 4:19 PM on July 13 alerted his colleagues to the would-be assassin's presence.

The paper reported the would-be assassin was "often a step ahead of the Secret Service."

The local countersniper, who saw the man sitting at a picnic table, told his colleagues the man "knows you guys are up there."

By 5:10 PM, the would-be assassin left the picnic table and took up a position below the countersnipers. One countersniper photographed him.

The countersniper shared the pictures with other officers at 5:38 PM, along with a message that the would-be assassin possessed a rangefinder and a suggestion that a uniformed officer "check it out."

At 6:11 PM, the would-be assassin was dead after taking shots at Trump that killed one and seriously injured two others. Trump escaped the assassination attempt with minor injuries.