The head of the United States Secret Service has revealed alarming details about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
According to Fox News, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle disclosed that the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had been identified as a potential threat prior to opening fire.
Cheatle's comments came during an interview on ABC News, just hours after Fox News Digital reported that a local law enforcement officer had spotted Crooks with a range-finder 30 minutes before the incident in Butler.
The officer reported the sighting to state police, capturing a photo and debating whether Crooks was holding binoculars to get a better view of the rally. However, Crooks began shooting just minutes into Trump's speech, authorities said.
Cheatle explained that units were dispatched to locate Crooks upon identifying him as suspicious. Unfortunately, he reached a rooftop and launched his attack before being apprehended.
"I'm being told that the shooter was actually identified as a potential person of suspicion. Units started responding to seek that individual out," Cheatle told ABC News. "Unfortunately, with the rapid succession of how things unfolded, by the time that individual was eventually located, they were on the rooftop and were able to fire off at the former president."
Authorities approached the position Crooks used to open fire at the rally. Cheatle took responsibility for the security lapse, acknowledging that the incident should never have occurred.
"The buck stops with me," Cheatle said, adding that "This is an event that should have never happened."
Cheatle also expressed her initial reaction to the shooting as "shock." She noted that the Secret Service had recognized the security vulnerabilities of the building Crooks used but decided against placing personnel on the roof due to safety concerns.
"That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there's a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn't want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside," Cheatle elaborated.
The attack has sparked discussions about the adequacy of security protocols at high-profile events. The Secret Service's decision-making process and response times are now under scrutiny.
The attempted assassination has also raised questions about how potential threats are assessed and managed in real-time during such events.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate former President Trump, was identified as a potential threat before the attack at a Pennsylvania rally. Despite recognizing the security vulnerabilities, the Secret Service's decision to secure the building internally allowed Crooks to reach a rooftop and open fire. Kimberly Cheatle, the Director of the Secret Service, has taken full responsibility for the security lapse, acknowledging that the incident should never have happened. This event has prompted a reevaluation of security measures and protocols at high-profile events to prevent future occurrences.
