Emerging details from the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally on Saturday reveal significant security failures and conflicting accounts between the U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement. These discrepancies are raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of the security measures in place to protect the former president.
In a Monday interview with ABC News, U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle acknowledged that local police were inside the building from which the shooter fired but admitted no personnel were stationed on the rooftop. Cheatle justified this decision by citing the “sloped” nature of the roof, which she claimed made it unsafe for officers. However, security experts and former Secret Service agents have criticized this explanation as inadequate and indicative of a major oversight.
“Let’s just say the local law enforcement officers [and] the Secret Service agree that it’s just not safe to keep someone up there for a couple of hours,” former Secret Service agent Anthony Cangelosi told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF). “Then the question is, well, how do we maintain its integrity otherwise? It’s not like you just throw your hands up and say ‘can’t do that.’”
Cangelosi emphasized that there was no “justifiable reason” for failing to secure the roof, suggesting alternative solutions such as using another platform or placing an officer on a lift. Similarly, Peter Yachmetz, a retired FBI agent and security consultant, pointed out that the shooter had been moving around on the supposedly unsafe roof prior to the incident, highlighting the inconsistency in the security measures.
Law enforcement reportedly spotted the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, on the roof 30 minutes before he fired shots, according to WPXI. Despite this, no action was taken to secure the area. A witness described seeing Crooks climbing onto the roof and attempting to warn a police officer, only to be met with confusion.
Former Secret Service agent Tim Miller expressed his frustration, stating, “The reality is, regardless of the spin, that particular roof should have been under constant surveillance and or posted.”
Cheatle stated that the Secret Service was responsible for the inner perimeter of the rally site, while local law enforcement was tasked with securing the outer perimeter. However, conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the positioning of local forces. A local law enforcement official told The New York Times that officers were in an adjacent building, not the one Crooks fired from.
CBS News reported that three snipers were stationed inside the building from which Crooks fired. One sniper reportedly saw Crooks using a rangefinder shortly before he fired and radioed the command post. However, the Butler Township Police Department has declined to confirm this report, citing an ongoing FBI investigation.
Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe has refrained from offering additional comments, stating that there are too many questions and too many fingers being pointed. He confirmed that his deputies performed their duties and went above and beyond in assisting after the shooting began.
Slupe previously told CNN that an armed Butler Township officer had encountered Crooks before he fired at Trump but retreated down a ladder when Crooks pointed his gun at him. Slupe acknowledged a security failure but stressed that “there is not just one entity responsible.”
Pennsylvania State Police confirmed they had no members inside the building or staging in it. Lieutenant Adam Reed stated that approximately 30 to 40 troopers assisted with securing the inside perimeter but were not responsible for securing the building from which the shooter fired.
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via flickr
