The US Secret Service detailed numerous security failures revealed in its review of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a July rally.
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, managed to fire shots from a nearby rooftop at the outdoor event, narrowly missing Trump, who sustained a wound to his right ear.
Acting Director Ronald Rowe, speaking at a press briefing, stated that the review “identified deficiencies in the advanced planning and its implementation by Secret Service personnel.”
“While some members of the advance team were highly diligent, complacency among others led to a breach of security protocols,” Rowe added.
Key issues highlighted by Rowe included poor communication with local law enforcement, an “over-reliance” on mobile devices that caused information to become siloed, and line-of-sight problems that were “acknowledged but not properly addressed.”
Rowe noted that at 6:10 PM local time, a phone call was made to the Secret Service security room reporting an individual on the roof of the AGR building. “That crucial piece of information was not relayed over the Secret Service radio network,” he said.
At the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, two attendees were injured by gunfire, and 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed. Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service personnel.
In the aftermath of the incident, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, and several agents have been placed on leave.
