A scathing internal investigation found that Secret Service agents failed to implement proper safeguards that could have obstructed the view of Donald Trump’s would-be assassin at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. Plans were discussed to potentially use cranes, trucks, and flags to block the line of sight from the building where the assassin fired shots to the stage where Trump was shot. However, the heavy equipment and flags were not placed in a way that obstructed the view between the AGR building and the stage.
The investigation also revealed that the agency never instructed local police to secure the rooftop from where the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, tried to assassinate Trump. Crooks, who was perched atop the building about 130 yards from the rally stage, had a clear line of sight and fired eight rounds, killing one rallygoer, wounding two others, and striking Trump’s ear before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
There was also a breakdown in communication between federal and local authorities, with Secret Service agents unable to receive real-time alerts from local police. Crooks had been spotted by law enforcement using a rangefinder and looking at his phone nearly an hour before Trump took the stage. However, Secret Service agents did not hear local police discussing tracking down Crooks until just 10 minutes before Trump began speaking.
Acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe acknowledged the security breakdowns highlighted in the report and stated that the agency must be held accountable. Another review has been launched to enhance security for government officials protected by the Secret Service. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed shock and appall at the security failures at Trump’s rally. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, stated that the American people will be shocked by the failures of the Secret Service in this assassination attempt on a former president.
Overall, the internal investigation revealed that Secret Service agents failed to implement proper safeguards to obstruct the view of Trump’s would-be assassin at a campaign rally. There was a lack of communication between federal and local authorities, and the agency failed to instruct local police to secure the rooftop where the gunman fired shots. The acting Secret Service director has acknowledged the security breakdowns and vowed to hold the agency accountable while launching a review to enhance security for government officials. Lawmakers were appalled by the security failures at Trump’s rally and expressed shock at the findings of the investigation.
