Report finds ‘multiple failures’ by US Secret Service before Trump shooting
The Secret Service has acknowledged that a combination of tactical and communication failures enabled a gunman to shoot at the former president. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
An internal review conducted by the US Secret Service has revealed that certain security measures “were not carried out” during an incident in July when a gunman opened fire on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally.
The agency's review highlighted multiple “operational and communications failures,” which allowed the assailant to shoot at Trump while he was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump had a close call, as a bullet fired from approximately 150 meters away grazed his ear. The shooter, 21-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired from an unsecured rooftop, resulting in the death of one rally attendee and injuries to two others before he was killed by a sniper.
Following the shooting, it was revealed that local police had observed Crooks using a range-finder an hour prior to the incident and had communicated his image to Secret Service agents. Although the agents detected the gunman on the rooftop 20 minutes before the attack, they did not take action until gunfire erupted.
In a preliminary report shared on Friday, the Secret Service acknowledged that local police were tasked with securing the rooftop in question. However, the report indicated that the officers present had no direct communication with the Secret Service.
Furthermore, the report pointed out that critical information about the shooter, provided by local law enforcement, failed to reach the Secret Service due to poor radio communication among the different agencies on-site. Consequently, details regarding Crooks’ appearance and activities had to be relayed through a series of phone calls and text messages.
Additionally, just before the rally commenced, Crooks managed to operate a drone equipped with a camera over the event area without intervention. The Secret Service noted that, although a counter-drone unit was dispatched, “there were some technical difficulties” with their equipment.
Concerning the choice of location for the rally, the report revealed that a Secret Service team had previously examined the site and recognized that the sightline from the rooftop to the stage where Trump was speaking could present a “challenge.” However, “the security measures to alleviate these concerns were not carried out.”
The internal investigation remains ongoing, with a comprehensive report anticipated in the coming weeks. While the summary released on Friday seemed to deflect responsibility onto local law enforcement, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe remarked that the agency requires “a shift in paradigm in how we conduct our protective operations.”
Rowe’s predecessor, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned shortly after the shooting, and several other high-ranking agents were placed on leave amid the ongoing investigation.
Trump recently experienced another life-threatening situation when a pro-Ukraine activist aimed a rifle at him at one of his golf courses in Florida. Secret Service agents responded by firing several shots at the individual, who was subsequently arrested after attempting to flee.
Meanwhile, Republican Representative Matt Gaetz claimed earlier this week that some GOP lawmakers suspect that there is a “mole inside the Secret Service providing information about points of vulnerability” to potential assassins.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
The agency's review highlighted multiple “operational and communications failures,” which allowed the assailant to shoot at Trump while he was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump had a close call, as a bullet fired from approximately 150 meters away grazed his ear. The shooter, 21-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired from an unsecured rooftop, resulting in the death of one rally attendee and injuries to two others before he was killed by a sniper.
Following the shooting, it was revealed that local police had observed Crooks using a range-finder an hour prior to the incident and had communicated his image to Secret Service agents. Although the agents detected the gunman on the rooftop 20 minutes before the attack, they did not take action until gunfire erupted.
In a preliminary report shared on Friday, the Secret Service acknowledged that local police were tasked with securing the rooftop in question. However, the report indicated that the officers present had no direct communication with the Secret Service.
Furthermore, the report pointed out that critical information about the shooter, provided by local law enforcement, failed to reach the Secret Service due to poor radio communication among the different agencies on-site. Consequently, details regarding Crooks’ appearance and activities had to be relayed through a series of phone calls and text messages.
Additionally, just before the rally commenced, Crooks managed to operate a drone equipped with a camera over the event area without intervention. The Secret Service noted that, although a counter-drone unit was dispatched, “there were some technical difficulties” with their equipment.
Concerning the choice of location for the rally, the report revealed that a Secret Service team had previously examined the site and recognized that the sightline from the rooftop to the stage where Trump was speaking could present a “challenge.” However, “the security measures to alleviate these concerns were not carried out.”
The internal investigation remains ongoing, with a comprehensive report anticipated in the coming weeks. While the summary released on Friday seemed to deflect responsibility onto local law enforcement, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe remarked that the agency requires “a shift in paradigm in how we conduct our protective operations.”
Rowe’s predecessor, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned shortly after the shooting, and several other high-ranking agents were placed on leave amid the ongoing investigation.
Trump recently experienced another life-threatening situation when a pro-Ukraine activist aimed a rifle at him at one of his golf courses in Florida. Secret Service agents responded by firing several shots at the individual, who was subsequently arrested after attempting to flee.
Meanwhile, Republican Representative Matt Gaetz claimed earlier this week that some GOP lawmakers suspect that there is a “mole inside the Secret Service providing information about points of vulnerability” to potential assassins.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
