The Trump rally shooter perched on a building owned by American Glass Research. Here’s everything we know about it.

The news that ricocheted around the world when shots were fired during a Donald Trump campaign event in in Butler County echoed loudly in Southwestern PA. 

Details continue to emerge from the investigation into what’s being called an assassination attempt on the former US president and current Republican presidential candidate, but the close-to-home fallout has taken a toll on the local community, with the rally site located about an hour north of Pittsburgh.

Authorities have said the shooter obtained roof access on a nearby building outside of the security perimeter for the event on the Butler Farm Show grounds.

Witnesses have told reporters that they spotted the shooter moving from roof to roof before settling on a spot to target Trump.  The roof where he took aim, about 148 yards away, is one of two labs on the headquarters of a company called American Glass Research.

What does that company do, and what’s the deal with the building itself? Here’s what we know. 

When was American Glass Research founded?

In 1927 in Butler County, founder Frank Preston started Preston Laboratories as a company that researched how glass responds to different external forces, according to the company website. In 1962, he sold the business and it changed its name to American Glass Research.

It came to the mid-Atlantic region in 2010 when it acquired Ohio-based West Analytical Services, according to profiles of employees who started at the company that year.

American Glass Research is a subsidiary of Agr International, based in Butler, Pennsylvania. It has 200 employees. Agr International grew out of American Glass Research in 1989. Industrial machine company acquired Agr in March 2024 for an undisclosed amount, and the companies said at the time that operations would remain unchanged. 

Where does it currently operate?

The company has facilities in three locations:

• Butler, Pennsylvania
• Maumee, Ohio
• The Netherlands

Butler has two labs, both located on the lot where the shooter was discovered. 

What does it do?

American Glass Research provides lab services to third-party glass manufacturers and other parties for testing, analysis, consulting, training, inspection and auditing. The facility offers supplies, equipment and experts. 

Who are its clients and customers?

American Glass Research works with a variety of glass manufacturers. For example, those that produce glass containers to store food and drink, or glass tableware. It also gives litigation assistance to firms that may need expert testimony on glass durability.

AGR has released research on topics like glass breakage in bottles containing carbonated beverages and frequent industry training sessions. Clients include Molson Coors, which it worked with in 2016 to rebrand Thunderbolt beer bottles. 

The global glass manufacturing industry is worth $118.91 billion as of 2023, according to India-based market research firm SNS Insider. 

How many people work there?

According to the website, 14 testing staff and 6 analytical staff work at the company. It is not clear how many are based at the Butler County lab. 

According to the company’s LinkedIn profile, it has somewhere between 11 and 50 employees. 35 users list the company on their accounts. 

How big is the building where the shooter was spotted?

The Butler County American Glass Research labs sit on about two acres of land across multiple buildings, according to public records. 

As of 2015, the property was worth about $2 million, deed records say. Property records date back for the location to 1963.

The company touts 14,000 square feet of analytical laboratory at its Ohio location, but it’s unclear exactly how big the Butler County labs are.

The shooter positioned himself on the roof of the building on the property closest to the Trump event. It appears to be a relatively low building, according to images on Google Street View.

Satellite image showing the relative locations of the AGR roof and the rally stage (Image: Google Street View; illustration by Technical.ly)

What do we know about the facility’s security?

Days before the July 13 event, the Secret Service identified the American Glass Research building as a potential vulnerability, sources told NBC News. The Secret Service worked with local police on event security, and has said securing that rooftop fell under local jurisdiction.

“They had meetings in the week prior. The Secret Service ran the show. They were the ones who designated who did what,” Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said.

Sniper teams were positioned on other nearby rooftops. No officers were in the American Glass Research lab. 

“Someone should have been on the roof or securing the building so no one could get on the roof,” said a former senior Secret Service agent familiar with the security planning.

What has American Glass said about the incident?

It does not appear that the company has publicly released a statement on the shooting. American Glass Research did not immediately respond to Technical.ly’s request for comment.

What’s the status of the investigation?

The shooting is still under investigation, but it is being viewed as an assassination attempt. The FBI has been releasing updates as information surfaces. 

The bureau is currently collecting evidence to identify a motive and determine a sequence of events. It is not clear how American Glass Research will be involved in these queries. 

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC News that the agency would “really study the event independently, and make recommendations to the Secret Service and to me.”

The Secret Service is also reviewing details about securing the event. 

Was the shooter associated with the company?

There is no evidence that the shooter was associated with American Glass Research. His motives and ability to access the building are still under investigation.