Report: Local police overseeing roof where Trump shooter hid at Butler rally had not communicated with Secret Service

A report released by the Secret Service revealed that poor planning and communication led to a security lapse during an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The local police team responsible for securing the area where the shooter fired at Trump had not coordinated with the Secret Service before the incident. The report found that local police departments requested support from each other without consulting the Secret Service, leading to a lack of communication and coordination. The report also noted that the Secret Service’s counter sniper team arrived after security plans had already been made by other law enforcement organizations. Some officials were placed on leave in response to the incident, and recommendations to leadership may be forthcoming. Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe acknowledged the failures on July 13th and vowed to learn from the incident to prevent similar failures in the future. The report cited a “high operational tempo” as a contributing factor to the security breach, with the agency stretched thin due to increased security for Vice President Kamala Harris and upcoming political conventions. Despite the security lapse, Rowe emphasized that the Secret Service did not deny security assets to the Trump campaign before the rally. Additionally, he praised an agent who recently thwarted a potential assassin at a golf course where Trump was playing. The report also mentioned the House of Representatives approving a bill to ensure presidential candidates receive the same level of security as sitting presidents.

Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com