Investigation into Trump shooting uncovers 'stunning' failures
Congress has reported that missteps by the US Secret Service almost resulted in former president Donald Trump being harmed during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A task force in the US Congress has held the Secret Service accountable for deficiencies in command and communication during the investigation into the July 13 assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The incident occurred while Trump was addressing a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear. The assailant, Thomas Crooks, opened fire from the roof of a nearby factory, resulting in the death of one attendee and serious injuries to two others before the Secret Service subdued him.
“Put simply, the evidence obtained by the Task Force to date shows the tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened,” stated the preliminary report released by the bipartisan body on Monday.
The 53-page report highlights eight significant findings, the first being the inadequate planning and coordination between the Secret Service and local law enforcement.
The factory roof from which Crooks fired was excluded from the security perimeter, despite offering “clear sight lines to the stage, and elevated position,” according to the report. Officers stationed inside the building did not secure the roof or the complex, operating under the belief that their responsibilities were limited to “overwatch” of the rally.
Furthermore, the report outlined that the Secret Service and local police established separate command posts and lacked a shared radio channel, contributing to communication failures that Crooks exploited.
A congressional member with law enforcement experience who investigated the scene in early August raised concerns that FBI investigators might have compromised evidence in the case by cleaning the roof and allowing Crooks’ body to be cremated before the autopsy results could be examined.
The Butler County Coroner’s office reportedly released Crooks’ remains to his family after the FBI indicated that no further evidence was needed.
The autopsy revealed that Crooks died from a single gunshot wound to the head, likely inflicted by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Prior to that, he managed to fire eight shots and may have ceased firing only after being shot at by a local officer. The coroner found no traces of alcohol or drugs in Crooks’ system but did detect antimony, selenium, and lead.
The report further clarified that Crooks ascended to the roof not by ladder, but by climbing an external air conditioning unit. The ladder visible in photographs taken after the incident was subsequently placed by local police to facilitate investigators' access to the roof.
Following the shooting, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned within ten days.
The House of Representatives task force is made up of both Republicans and Democrats and is tasked with investigating the Butler incident, as well as a thwarted ambush at Trump’s Florida golf course in September. Their final report is expected to be released on December 13, which will be shortly after the presidential election.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
The incident occurred while Trump was addressing a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear. The assailant, Thomas Crooks, opened fire from the roof of a nearby factory, resulting in the death of one attendee and serious injuries to two others before the Secret Service subdued him.
“Put simply, the evidence obtained by the Task Force to date shows the tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened,” stated the preliminary report released by the bipartisan body on Monday.
The 53-page report highlights eight significant findings, the first being the inadequate planning and coordination between the Secret Service and local law enforcement.
The factory roof from which Crooks fired was excluded from the security perimeter, despite offering “clear sight lines to the stage, and elevated position,” according to the report. Officers stationed inside the building did not secure the roof or the complex, operating under the belief that their responsibilities were limited to “overwatch” of the rally.
Furthermore, the report outlined that the Secret Service and local police established separate command posts and lacked a shared radio channel, contributing to communication failures that Crooks exploited.
A congressional member with law enforcement experience who investigated the scene in early August raised concerns that FBI investigators might have compromised evidence in the case by cleaning the roof and allowing Crooks’ body to be cremated before the autopsy results could be examined.
The Butler County Coroner’s office reportedly released Crooks’ remains to his family after the FBI indicated that no further evidence was needed.
The autopsy revealed that Crooks died from a single gunshot wound to the head, likely inflicted by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Prior to that, he managed to fire eight shots and may have ceased firing only after being shot at by a local officer. The coroner found no traces of alcohol or drugs in Crooks’ system but did detect antimony, selenium, and lead.
The report further clarified that Crooks ascended to the roof not by ladder, but by climbing an external air conditioning unit. The ladder visible in photographs taken after the incident was subsequently placed by local police to facilitate investigators' access to the roof.
Following the shooting, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned within ten days.
The House of Representatives task force is made up of both Republicans and Democrats and is tasked with investigating the Butler incident, as well as a thwarted ambush at Trump’s Florida golf course in September. Their final report is expected to be released on December 13, which will be shortly after the presidential election.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
