Secret Service report provides new details about failures during Trump assassination attempt

WASHINGTON — A new Secret Service report into the July assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump says several employees were aware of the line-of-sight risks but found them “acceptable” and that farm equipment was designed to block the view from a nearby building containing the gunman. opened fire and was never used.

The internal review released Friday is the latest in a slate of reports and investigations into the July 13 shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left one rally attendee dead and two others wounded. Trump was shot in the ear before being escorted off stage.

A Secret Service counter-sniper shot and killed gunman Thomas Crooks.

A classified version of the report, prepared by the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility, was provided to members of Congress, and a seven-page unclassified synopsis was released Friday. An early version of the agency’s investigation into his own conduct was released in September.

The report largely echoed the findings of other investigations, which blamed poor communication between the Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies assisting that day, as well as the agency’s failure to prevent nearby vantage points, including a building just 150 yards from the podium where Trump was scheduled to speak. – from use by a criminal.

But it provides more detail about the failures of the agency, which is scrutinizing its performance in what it calls a “fail-safe” mission to protect top U.S. leaders.

Line of sight problems

The report blames Secret Service officials for failing to find a way to reduce the risk posed by a group of nearby buildings that provide an unobstructed view of the podium.

Crooks climbed onto one of the buildings and fired eight shots before he was killed.

“Many Secret Service personnel incorrectly assessed these risks to the former President as acceptable, resulting in inadequate management,” the report said.

The report said executives expected large farm equipment to be positioned to block the view between the buildings and the stage, but it was ultimately not used.

The report does not explain why they were not used, but says employees who visited the site before the rally to plan security measures did not tell their supervisors that line-of-sight issues had not been resolved.

Communication problems

The report details how the Secret Service set up a security room for the event to house officers from all law enforcement agencies assisting that day. But only the Pennsylvania State Police had someone in the security room, while local emergency personnel had a private room, the report said.

“The advance team failed to take action and ensure the security room was staffed in accordance with Secret Service methodology,” the report states.

The internal review also found that the Secret Service counter-sniper team did not pick up a radio that was offered to them by a local law enforcement team, impairing their ability to communicate.

“These communications breakdowns contributed significantly to the failure of the mission, leaving the majority of law enforcement personnel performing protective operations, including former President Trump’s security detail, unaware of key information leading to the assassination attempt,” the report said.

Weather

The report said high temperatures that day and the need to care for heat-stressed rally participants played a role in distracting security personnel.

One local emergency management team reported that there were 251 requests for medical assistance that day, according to an internal audit.

“The lack of coordination with campaign staff on these issues resulted in a higher than expected proportion of security personnel being diverted to provide medical assistance,” the report said.

Accountability

Friday’s report did not specify whether any Secret Service employees were fired or otherwise reprimanded. He suggested that some employees’ performance could warrant “corrective consultation” or “disciplinary action” and vowed to hold accountable anyone found violating agency policy.

The agency’s integrity office will now review the findings.

The Associated Press previously reported that at least five Secret Service agents were placed on modified duty. Then-director Kimberly Cheatle resigned more than a week after the shooting, saying she took full responsibility for what happened.